Old Friends Anew: Destiny's True Beginning
by redemption2
Summary: A SEEDestiny fic. What's this? A special bonus chapter? It's April Fools Day on Minerva, and guess who's cutting loose. Prepare for laughs reminiscent of the early chapters as Adam and Meyrin pull the joke crusade of their lives.
1. Default Chapter

Old Friends Anew

Phase-1: A Stray Gundam

Disclaimers are so annoying: This is an original fanfiction based on Gundam Seed Destiny. The only ideas that are mine is of Adam and the Falcon.

"I don't think we have to worry much. You know?" A boy with orange hair spoke in a garden to his best friend. "Although my parents are making this huge deal about it."

"Yeah, if that time comes, what will you guys do?" A black haired boy smiled at him.

"We've got a bunker deep underground. We should be safe there until it's all over. You?"

"We'll probably be evacuating with the others. But it won't happen. No way ORB will get involved. We're neutral after all."

Both boys chuckled. "Well, I need to head back. Say hi to that cute sister of yours for me."

"Hey, Mayu is too young for you, Adam. Quit thinking you can hit on my little sis."

"Geez Shinn, take it easy. It's a joke."

The orange haired boy grabbed some sunglasses and slung a backpack over his shoulder. His mother snatched his other arm. "Adam, what do you think you're doing?!"

"I'm going out."

"You can't, it's not safe out there, not for Coordinators like us!"

"And how the hell would you know that?!" Adam broke from her grip. "We've been holed up down here since the attack on ORB. Ever since then we haven't been able to get any information from the outside because our information lines were cut. No Internet, no phones, nothing! Do you even know how long we've been down here? A year. A whole freaking year! I've read every single book in the databank three times already, even those medical journals about sex and reproduction! I need to get out there. I haven't heard from any of my friends for an entire year. The war could be over by now and we'd never know it!"

"But you don't understand!"

"I don't intend to stay in this pit forever and you can't stop me from going now!"

"Let him go, dear." His father sighed as he walked in with a cup of coffee.

"But…." She turned to him.

"What he says is true. We don't know what's going on. And teens like him need friends. Maybe we should have evacuated with the others, maybe not. Either way, it's like Adam says, he should go out and search." He put a hand on his son's shoulder. "I hope you find who and what you're looking for."

"Dad!" Adam said, looking like he was about to cry. "I'll do my best. Don't worry about me, because I'll be sure to come back. When I do, you'd better be ready to move out of this hole in the ground, because I intend to return with good news." He left the empty bunker.

Adam donned his sunglasses as the elevator returned to the surface. As the doors opened, he gasped. "No wonder we couldn't get any information. Our entire house is in ruins!" He made his way through the rubble and got out what was left of the front door.

In front of him lay an ocean view with the city dock just below it. "I used to hate this view. It never looked better to me than it does now. It looks like they rebuilt the city easily. I should call my friends up, see if they're still around somewhere." He whipped out a cell phone to match his hair and started dialing through the list as he walked towards the city. He got a ring only when he reached a certain name, Mayu Asuka. "All right, Mayu's phone is working. Damn good thing too. I hope Shinn is okay too."

"Hi, you've reached Mayu's cell. I'm not here right now, so leave a message after the beep and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Buh-bye!" The voice-mail rang out.

"Um, hey Maya, it's me, Adam. You know, Adam Cancho, Shinn's friend? I was just calling on my old cell to check up on my friends. If you can, call me back okay? Thanks."

He hung up on the number and sighed. "Just my luck. I get an answering machine." He went through the list and still got no answer on the other lines. Just when he was about to give up, there was one number designated by a code name: ZRoyalPainZ. "I don't remember this one." He hit the button.

Cagalli was in her room in tears. "That bastard Yuna. He's such a manipulative smooth talker. How could I let him convince me? Now all ORB Coordinators are in danger." Her cell phone rang on the table in front of her. She sighed and picked it up. "Representative Attha."

"Woah! It actually worked, and I get through to you of all people. How's the Royal Pain doing?"

"'Royal Pain?' I haven't heard that name in a couple of years. Who is this?"

"What? You don't remember me? I'm hurt. Nah, not really. It's me, Adam Cancho."

"Cancho…Cancho." Cagalli searched her memory. "CANCHO! The Coordinator family that worked in the Astray R&D department?! You're that kid who was picked on for being a Coordinator by your peers, aren't you?!"

"Don't remind me." Adam grumbled. "You gave me this number if they ever tried it again so some political pressure could be put on them. You called it a bit of Royal Pain."

"I remember, but I thought your family was wiped out in the attack. I saw your house. It was completely leveled."

"Yeah, I just came out of there. We had a bunker hidden under the house. I've been stuck there for a year now, so I decided it was time for me to come out and get some fresh air for once. I'm a little out of date, could you fill me in?"

"It's a long story. VERY long and very sad." Cagalli leaned back on her bed and turned on her television.

"Please tell me that there's at least some good news. I've been waiting a year to hear some."

"Well I found out that I have a fraternal twin brother."

"Really? Well that's new. I'd like to meet him some time, who is he?"

"Kira Yamato."

"K…K…Kira? The pilot of Freedom? The one who scrambled to defend ORB during the attack?!"

"The same, although I don't think he wants to fight anymore. After the final battle he went into some severe depression."

"Hey…good news. I want good news, Cagalli."

"Oh, sorry." She chuckled. "One second."

She turned up the volume on the television. The newscaster reported the latest. "Early this morning, in an impromptu meeting of ORB Parliament, a law was passed banning all Coordinators from the country, effective immediately. All such people not complying will be subject to the fullest extent of the law."

"SO SOON?! I didn't put the 'effective immediately' clause in there! Yuna! That bastard did this!" She threw a fit.

"Hello? Cagalli? You okay over there?" Adam was still on the phone.

"This is bad!" She spoke into the receiver.

"Hey, I said I want good news." He joked.

"This isn't funny at all. Parliament just passed a law banning all Coordinators!"

"What the hell?! What's been going on since I've been under?"

"Let's see, the war ended and peace was signed at Junius 7. 3 new Gundams were stolen by an unknown group. What was left of Junius 7 crashed into Earth, the work of terrorists. Earth declared war on PLANT, and everyone forced me to hand ORB over to the Atlantic Alliance and join them. More importantly, where are you?! Can you get back to the bunker? If anyone finds out you're a Coordinator, they might kill you!"

"No. I'm not going back there. I promised I'd bring back news that we'd be able to come out to the surface safely. I won't go back until then, and that's final."

"Don't be an idiot. You'll be safer down there than it is in the open."

"I don't care. I promised my folks. If I go back, we'll never come out again. I just know it."

"Adam! Dammit, fine. Where are you? I'll come get you." Cagalli put on her jacket.

"I'm on what used to be and hoping still is Route 5. But what the hell are you going to do? Your father…."

"Is dead. I'm in charge now."

"I…I…." Adam went silent.

"It's okay. I'll pick you up and we'll find a way to get you to a safe place. Keep walking on Route 5. I'll be there in a few minutes." She hung up the phone. "If I can save just this one…."

"Dammit. The world's gone to hell once already, and now it's back there? This sucks." Adam kicked a rock as he had his hands in his pockets. "Not even a year after the war ended and we're back to where we started."

A police car drove past him, but it stopped and backed up, and it rolled with him as he walked. The first of two policemen rolled down his window and spoke to him. "Good morning!"

"Hey, how you doing, officer?" Adam took his hands out of his pockets and gave a slight wave.

"Out for a walk?"

"Yes sir. It's a nice day for one, don't you think?"

"I do, it's just that this road doesn't go anywhere anymore, and you're heading back from that abandoned lot. What were you doing there?"

"Like I said, I like to walk. My metabolism has slowed down recently, so I need to get more exercise. I figured it was a nice way to work off the pounds."

"What's in the backpack then?"

"You know, the usual. Snacks, water bottle, a spare change of clothes just incase I slip in some mud. Why do you want to know?"

"Oh, just wondering."

"Is there anything else you need, officer? I was enjoying the peace and quiet before you came around, no offense."

"None taken, but there is one thing."

"What then?" Adam smiled at the officer.

He smiled back then whipped out his pistol. "Stop where you are and keep your hands where I can see them." The car stopped and both police officers surrounded the boy, who instantly had his hands in the air.

"That's funny guys. You're good at pranking. You can drop the act now." The boy put on a half-hearted laugh.

"This isn't an act, Coordinator."

"Huh? Coordinator? I'm no Coordinator."

The second police officer leveled a shotgun. "Don't play dumb with me. I know a Coordinator when I see one. One raped and murdered my daughter, and I got a good look into his eyes before he finally bit the dust. You have the same type of eyes as he did."

"That doesn't prove a thing. I'm telling you I'm no Coordinator, and I wouldn't want to be. Who would want to be one of those filthy pieces of space slag? They're the ones that dropped Junius 7 on us!"

"Shut up!" The first cop said. "You Coordinators would say anything to get off scot free. Your hair gives it away that you're a Coordinator. No Natural has orange hair."

Adam took a quick look at both their weapon hands. Their fingers were twitching on the trigger, ready to shoot. 'They're serious. It looks like I won't be able to get out of this so easily.' "Look officers, this hair is a new kind of dye. It looks natural, but the roots are my normal black color. Have a look." He put his hands on his head and spread out a spot. Adam walked over to the officer with the pistol and bent over, lifting one heel out of his shoe. He showed his hair to the dangerous man. "See? It's black at the roots."

"I only see orange."

"Well maybe you need a closer look!" Adam slammed his head into the officer's face. Everything moved in slow motion as the man fell backwards. The shotgun toting officer lined up a shot, but Adam kicked his shoe at the man and the impact knocked the gun off course before it fired, causing the bullet to miss. Adam swung his leg and tripped up the first officer as he turned to the second and kicked him hard in the cheek as he cocked the second shot.

"Die Coordinator!" The first man started to level his pistol.

'If I don't do something quick I'll die!' Adam thought. Survival was the only thing left in his mind as he grabbed the shotgun and pulled the trigger.

The second man hit the ground with a sickening crunch as the echo of the shot died down. The first officer's face had received the bullet, and his body fell backwards. The blood pooled around the dead man's head. Adam panted heavily, his dark brown eyes in total shock. He brought the weapon up to eye level and his hands began to shake. He dropped it and turned away in disgust as he made eye contact with the second man. It was obvious that he wouldn't need tying up, for his head was at an odd angle. His neck was broken by the kick.

"Dead!" Adam whispered as he fell to his knees. "I…they…." He fell silent as tears ran from his shocked eyes and joined the blood on the pavement.

Cagalli flew over Route 5. Instead of taking a limo, she hopped into the pilot seat of a hoverjet, not taking a co-pilot with her. She scanned the view below her and saw a police car and three people, two of them lying down. "What the hell?!"

Cagalli quickly landed the craft off to the side of the road. From the air she couldn't see it, but now she saw the blood and she could hardly find her voice. Then she saw a person with a bunch of orange hair sitting motionless. "A…Adam. ADAM!" She raced towards him. The boy made no move to recognize her voice. She panted as she stopped next to him. "Adam. Adam!" She looked into his unblinking eyes, and turned away.

"I…I…." Adam started to stutter.

Cagalli whipped her head back and went to his eye level. "You're alive!"

"Men…" he sobbed, "tried…guns…Coordinators…Naturals…dead."

"Hey, it's okay. Take it easy. Try not to think about it too much."

"I…I…oh God. Cagalli, I killed them! They were going to shoot me and I…just…." He collapsed forward onto Cagalli's shoulder, letting all the tears flow. "I killed. I killed. I killed."

The princess did the only thing she could do, she held him and rubbed his back. "Shh. It'll be okay. It'll be okay." Her mind was racing though. 'He did all this? When did he get so strong?'

After a few moments she let go and stood him up. "Okay, that's enough for now. Someone might come by and see us if we don't get out of here. Also, those two will have to report in soon, so someone will be out searching for them before long. I'll take you to a place where we can get you away from all of this." He stood completely motionless. She slapped him. "Snap out of it! This is no time for feeling sorry! In case you haven't noticed, but this is a part of war, even if you aren't military, you were drawn in anyway. I thought you would have understood that by now. Now get moving!"

The hit woke him from his stupor and he nodded. He mounted the copilot's chair in the hovercraft. "Is this a new model?" He asked trying to take his mind off of the pain.

"Yes it is." Cagalli tossed him back a helmet as she donned her own in the pilot seat. "You should recognize the shape. It was originally your father's design. Hang on, we're going to lift off."

Once in the air, Adam looked out the window. "The landscape sure has changed."

Cagalli inputted some coordinates and turned the ship on autopilot. She leaned back and sighed. "It's hard."

"What is? Being the leader of your country? How old are you now? 18? I'd imagine it would be."

"No, I mean the first kill." She looked out the window.

"Cagalli, you…." Adam was stunned.

"Killed? Yes, many times. During the first war I joined up with the Desert Dawn resistance and I even piloted a mobile suit during the final battle in the first war. But the first kill is very hard."

"How'd…you deal with it?"

"I realized that it is what war is all about. No one has time for remorse for your actions. That's what it is to be a soldier. I know you're not a soldier, but even so, you've gotten involved on the home front."

"Will the hurt ever go away?"

She shook her head. "Sometimes when I close my eyes, I still see his face. He was about your age."

"I had no idea. Thank you." He whispered. As Cagalli smiled softly, he spoke again. "So what's the plan?"

"Well it goes like this…." The console beeped in front of her. "We're nearing the landing point. I'll explain when we get there." She took the controls again.

The landing area was actually hidden in the cliffs behind the city overlooking the ocean. The cliff opened up a hatch and Cagalli expertly flew it in. As the hatch closed behind the hoverjet, the lights turned on inside the cave. It was a big hangar. The princess landed it in a corner helipad. "We're here." She said as she took off her helmet and shook her hair out. Adam hopped out and took off his helmet as well. "Keep that helmet with you, you'll need it."

"I will?" He tilted his head.

The Royal Pain motioned for him to follow her. "Remember when your parents let you visit the lab they worked in? You came up with some very interesting ideas. Some of them we've actually used."

"I hope I get royalties."

"We'll work on that once the war is over, okay?" She giggled at his small joke. They stopped in front of a massive fighter jet, its angles sharp on its gray finish. She patted its side. "This was your mother's dream realized."

"A jet? I thought my mom was developing mobile suits. Wait, don't tell me this…."

"This is the Prototype M-3 Astray, code name Falcon. It comes fully equipped for both space and atmospheric travel. In this form it houses two Vulcan cannons in the nose, a beam saber in each wing, and a rear buster cannon. In its mobile suit state, you'll also find two sonic cutlasses, a beam rifle, and a positron shield. But the big thing is that it has Phase Shift armor."

"Phase Shift!? But the only mobile suits that have that kind of power are Gundams!"

"Right again, Adam. This is the Falcon Gundam. The only one of its kind so far. You'll find the flight suit on the seat. I'll wait until you get changed."

"Wait, what?! Flight suit? Am I taking this thing out for a test run or something?"

"No, I'm giving it to you."

"Um…why?"

"Currently, this model is too powerful for the intensity of battle we're facing. In the wrong hands, it would be disastrous. I know that ORB is not the right hands right now. Everything has gone out of my control here. The only person I trust right now is you. That's why I want you to have the Falcon."

"But Cagalli…."

"This world isn't safe for Coordinators right now. This will protect you. There are coordinates uploaded to a place where you can be relatively safe, the ZAFT battleship Minerva."

"Cagalli, I don't know what to say."

"Thank you would work."

"Yeah, OK, thank you."

"Now hurry up and get changed."

Adam changed into a white and yellow flight suit, and sealed on his helmet. He walked back to where the blonde Representative stood and saluted. "Gundam pilot Adam Cancho reporting for duty, ma'am."

She saluted back and smiled at his antics. "Very well, pilot. Here is your first mission." She pulled out a small gunlike electronic device with two nodes sticking out and handed it to him. After he took it, she spoke. "I want you to use that tazer on me."

"What?!"

"A raging Coordinator broke into this facility during my routine check on the Astray project. Attempting to disable him with a tazer, he managed to get it from me. The last thing I knew was waking up and Falcon was gone." She sighed. "That's what the story will be."

"I can't do that. I'll hurt you."

"Trust me, I've been through a lot worse. But you know this has to be done. So please, do it."

Adam sighed and pointed the weapon at her. "I'm sorry." He pulled the trigger and the two nodes launched at her. They both stuck and electricity coursed through her for a few seconds. As she fell, the boy caught her and dragged her to a safe spot.

He quickly jumped into the cockpit and closed the hatch. "Brakes, check. Engine, started. Rudder, check. Wings, check. Weapons, check. G-System, online. Last but not least, Phase Shift armor. Let's see what this baby looks like." He turned on the ability. The jet was dark blue with brown trim. He turned it off again not to waste power. "Nice. Time to take off." He steered the powerful ship into a runway of sorts, and the bay doors opened, giving a perfect view of the sea.

"Adam Cancho, Falcon, heading out!" He pushed his left hand slider up and the jet ran out of runway. Adam pulled up, and soon he was airborne. "Yahoo! Yeah! Now this is the way to fly!"

Falcon circled around the island once while the GPS located the Minerva. "Mom, Dad, I'll be back some day. And when I do, it will be the day of celebration for both Naturals and Coordinators."

The GPS beeped and found the Minerva's location. Adam hit the throttle and went to it.

Kira sat on the shoulder of Freedom as it knelt on the cliff where the house used to be. He looked up into the sky, at first just watching the clouds, but as a large jet moved across his line of sight, his eyes moved to follow it. "What is that?" The craft did a few stunts as it went out of sight beyond the mountain. He smiled softly. "I see."

"Kira." Lacus' soft voice rang perfectly in the 18 year-old's ear from the ground. The boy swung himself down to her by grabbing onto every little jut in the metal surface with his hands and feet. He still had the smile on his face when he embraced her. "That's a nice smile Kira. What's the occasion?" She said as she traced his lips with her finger.

"New hope."

"Huh?" She tilted her head to the side. Kira looked up again, and his love followed his gaze. The massive jet barrel rolled as it shot out to sea straight above them. "I see. Is that so, Kira?"

"Ah. Isn't this a perfect photo opportunity?" A man with a cane stopped a few feet behind them.

"Good morning Watfield-san." Kira greeted the man.

"How would you like your coffee this morning?"

"You know that Kira-kun doesn't drink coffee, Andrew." A woman stopped next to him. "He gets all hyper."

"The one time you made me try some, I instantly went into Berserker mode. Ah, you're up too, Murrue-san?" Kira also greeted the lady.

"I placed the call. They will all be here tonight." She said.

"Ah. I suppose it was inevitable." Kira sighed and looked to the clouds again.

"It has to be done, Kira. Someone wants Lacus dead, and we can't protect her like this." Ms. Ramias spoke.

"I understand that, Murrue-san." Kira still stared up into the sky. "There are some things worth protecting."

"Athrun Zala, Savior, launching!" The blue haired Coordinator launched from PLANT in his new Aegis modeled Gundam.

The words the Chairman said before he left ran through his head. "I want you to meet up with the Minerva. I have high hopes for that ship, just like the Archangel before it."

'Cagalli, I'm sorry that I have to make you, my fiancée, my enemy. I'll find a way to end this for good so we can be together. Until then, please wait for me.' He prayed as he plotted a re-entry course.

The black haired, red-eyed ace Coordinator locked into place his last clip. He set the targets to moving ones. "GRRRRRAAAAHHHHH!!!" He psyched himself up as the simulator started. He emptied his entire clip into the targets in rapid succession. He breathed heavily as the simulator ended and checked his stats. "Damn it."

He took off his visor and earmuffs and shook his hair back into place. He returned those items, plus gun, to the armory sign-out closet. His roommate, Ray, entered. "Any luck, Shinn?" He said as he signed out his own equipment for target practice.

"No. My usual score is all I get. I just can't seem to duplicate what happened to me in the battle with the EAF fleet."

"I see. Well perhaps it was a one time thing, or maybe you're missing something. Whatever it is, I'm sure you'll find out at some point." The long-blonde Coordinator inspected his weapon.

"Yeah, you're right." Shinn yawned. "I'm beat. I'm gonna take a nap. Wake me for lunch okay?"

"Certainly." Ray stopped for a moment. "I had something to tell you, but I seem to have forgotten what it was."

"Ah, no matter. If it's important, you'll remember it or I'll find out about it from someone else." He waved it off and turned towards the door. "Enjoy your target practice." The door closed behind him.

Shinn yawned again as he walked down the hall. "Woah, Shinn! Save some air for the rest of us!" Two Coordinator teens walked down the hall, the Hawke sisters. The one with purple-red hair, and the older one spoke.

"If we were in space, that would be valid, Lunamaria. But guess what? We're on Earth, so HA!"

Meyrin, the pink-redhead giggled as she hid behind her big sister. "He's got you there, Lumi."

Lunamaria scratched her head. "I keep forgetting that. It's like it's natural to be here. I've even gotten used to the gravity."

"Really? How do you know?" Shinn winked at Meyrin, who blushed for a second before nodding and holding back a giggle.

"Well it took a while to get used to the resistance with my ZA…" Meyrin pushed her from behind and she fell forward and onto her hands.

Meyrin and Shinn slapped hands. "Gravity prevails again!" They spoke in unison while flashing the V-for-victory sign.

"Ha. Ha." Lunamaria stood up. "Very funny."

"Yes it was." Shinn was still grinning. "But I'm gonna head back to my room. See you two later."

"Yeah yeah, just get out of here you prankster." The older girl waved him on as he laughed. Meyrin watched motionless as he went out of sight. Lunamaria didn't let that go untouched, after all, turnabout is fair play. "Did I just see you checking out Shinn?"

"What? No! No!" Meyrin shook her head fiercely, swatting her nose with her pigtails in the process.

"I can't believe you like that meathead."

"I don't! I don't!"

"Good. Then you won't mind me setting you up on a date with Youlan."

Meyrin fell over. "Wh…what?!"

"Oooh, looks like gravity prevails again. Relax, I just wanted to set you off balance. It worked. There's no date."

"And I thought it was nice having an older sister." Meyrin grumbled as she dusted herself off.

Shinn heard none of this as he flopped down on his bed, soon fast asleep.

Adam yawned. "Wow. Where did that come from? I guess I'm just not used to piloting anything more than a simulator. And I have been at the controls for a couple of hours. I'll just hit the autopilot." With a quick input on the keyboard, he programmed the position of Minerva and let it fly itself. "I wonder what the catalog specs for this baby are. Knowing Mom, she'll have an owner's manual programmed into the OS." He popped the window up and started reading. "Deuterium Beam recharge system? Universal equipment adapters? I've never heard of any of this!"

After a few minutes of reading, he yawned again. "Why can't they ever make this stuff entertaining, or at least funny?" He asked no one in particular.

After a few more minutes, he nodded off in his seat.

His proximity alarm blared as he woke up nearly an hour later. "What? What is that?!"

A shadow covered his craft and he looked up. "Oh crap!" A space battleship was re-entering right on top of him, preparing for splash-down. He got off the autopilot and banked hard to the right, trying to get away from the rapidly descending mass. "Come on, come on, come on!"

The grey battleship cut through the air. The Falcon had cleared most of the shadow other than its left wing tip. "I'm going to make it!"

As he cleared the shadow, the battleship started to extend stabilizer wings. The craft's wing dropped on him like a stone. "Gyyaaaaahhhhh!!!" He cried as he did the only thing he could think of, turning on the Phase Shift armor.

The two ships' wings collided just as the armor finished coloring itself, and Falcon was sent into a diving tailspin. Adam tried every pilot control on his interface to get his craft under control as the battleship went past him. In one of his passes along the craft, he saw three people looking out of a porthole at him. A part of him registered their hair colors being lime-green, sky-blue, and golden-blonde, but he was too busy failing at stabilizing.

"This isn't working! I can't stabilize myself in this state. I have to switch to mobile suit!" He hit the toggle as fast as he could. The rear base of the craft opened up and two robotic legs extended from it. The flaps rotated to become leg guards. The wings folded upwards and back as two robotic arms extended from the space where they were before. The Vulcan cannons in the nose of the plane retracted, and the entire nose flew off, revealing the head of the Falcon, with yellow eyes, the standard Astray shaped points on the forehead colored brown, and a blue "mouth". The rest of the head was white, aside from the yellow Vulcan cannons. The nose split off into two parts and magnetically sealed themselves to the shoulders. On the left side slid out a blue shield with a gold four point cross, which the hand grabbed, and out of the right was a buster rifle. The last point was that the wings split in half lengthwise, adding extra stability.

Adam adjusted to his new orientation and used Falcon's thrusters to counter the spin. "Haaaaaaahhhh!" He cried as the spin stopped, but he still plummeted. Falcon flipped onto its back and all engines went to full power. It skidded along the water until it rose into the sky. "Yes!" Adam put the Gundam into a vertical spin, then stopped it with a spread of his wings, and ended it with a classic aim of the rifle.

The mysterious battleship splashed down and took a very long time to stop. Adam panted as he flew up to it. "What was up with that? They didn't even warn me before dropping on me!" He set the computer to attempt to identify it. No entries were found. "No data?! It's just a bogey? That's one formidable looking ship."

Adam sighed. "That evade really threw me off course. I may as well get back to traveling." Falcon reversed the transformation process as his Phase Shift armor shimmered back to gray. He flew away towards the Minerva again. "Geez, what a pain."

Inside the unknown battleship, after splashdown, the masked Colonel was taken by surprise by the three special pilots as they entered the bridge. "Commander!" The one with green hair called out to him.

The mysterious man stood up and turned to them. "Sting, Auel, Stellar, what is the meaning of this?"

"Did you see it, sir? We hit something with the right wing during splashdown!" The blue haired Auel asked everyone on the bridge.

"That's confirmed!" One of the bridge hands called towards them. "Minor damage to the right wing."

"What did we hit?" The captain of the ship asked the three. The Colonel nodded his approval to answer the question.

The blonde girl, Stellar, answered. "It was a small jet aircraft."

"Well, I guess we won't have to worry about that then, now will we? Getting hit with something at our speed would have totaled nearly anything." The captain said again.

"It stayed in one piece after the hit, sir. It just started spiraling out of control."

"That's impossible!" The colonel was in complete disbelief.

The radar screen operator turned around. "Sir. Unidentified mobile suit at Indigo 55 high. Distance: 110."

"Show me!" The Colonel turned to the main screen, and it viewed a framed Falcon Gundam, transformed and with its rifle pointed towards the camera. "Identify it!"

"Unknown. No similar models in the database." Alarms went off. "It's scanning us!"

Stellar cocked her head and she scanned it with her violet eyes. "That thing…."

"Could it really be…." Auel added his thoughts.

"Another Gundam? Just how many of those things do they have?!" Sting snarled.

Falcon turned away and reverted to its gray jet form and flew away. The Colonel smiled. "It appears they're full of surprises, aren't they? Where is that suit headed?"

"Calculating trajectory….It's heading for our target sir! The Minerva!" A bridge hand said.

"So it was a scout ship?" The Captain asked rhetorically.

"All hands to battle stations! We can't let that suit warn the enemy of our presence. Engines to full throttle!"

Adam re-established the autopilot and slumped back into his seat. He took off his helmet and sighed. "Geez, what a day. First I find out my house is totaled, then I hear the war has restarted, I get jumped by too murderous Naturals…." He paused as he shuddered at the thought. "Then Cagalli tells me that Orb is falling to pieces, hands me this mobile suit, and makes me zap her. THEN I get a battleship dropped on my head!"

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "And all of this in the morning hours too. Just how long will it take me to meet up with the Minerva anyway?" He pulled out his keyboard and started working through the equations.

He groaned as he leaned back in his seat again. "Man, I'm gonna miss lunch!" He sighed. "Two hours. Around lunchtime I should be in radio transmission range, and that's in another hour. Maybe I can get them to turn around and scoop me up before lunch is over."

He drummed his fingers as the autopilot continued. He opened up his backpack, which he stowed under his seat, and plugged in his cell phone into an outlet and started charging. "Hey, why is there a charger in a mobile suit?" He shrugged and moved back to drumming his fingers. "Man I'm bored. Maybe I should have brought my GameBoy. I could be playing Gundam Seed right now. Hey cool, I just made a product placement. You're welcome Bandai!" He pulled out the keyboard again. "There's gotta be something in here that I can do." Within a few seconds, he smiled. "Hey cool! Solitaire, the ultimate time-killer!" He shuffled and dealt the virtual deck.

Shinn groaned. Ray shook him. "Five more minutes. We're not going into battle." He mumbled before he fell asleep again.

"Very well, but Meyrin wanted to talk to you. Something about a date. I'll tell her you're busy." Rey slit his eyes.

"Meyrin?" He echoed. His eyes snapped open and he shot up straight. "I'm awake!"

Ray hid a smile and a chuckle behind his fist and cough. "I will have to use her to wake you up every morning. Lunch is in fifteen minutes."

"Ok, thanks. Well, go ahead and send Meyrin in now." He yawned and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Ray just stared at him in disbelief. "She was never here, was she?" Ray shook his head and his long hair soon followed. "I'll get angry at you later."

Shinn put a hand on his night table and bumped the pink cell phone he kept there. Ray noticed the movement and he straightened a little. "I just remembered what I wanted to tell you."

"Well out with it already." Shinn stretched. "I want to get to the mess hall before all the good rations are gone."

"You call our rations good?"

"Point for Ray. So what's that thing you wanted to tell me?"

"That oddly colored phone of yours was ringing at around 7 AM. I was tempted to answer it, but the voice mail took care of it."

"What?!" Shinn's head whipped back and forth between the phone and Ray. "Ray, I hate to say this, but I need you to leave."

"I understand. A personal matter."

"Exactly, I may not be able to get to lunch. Doggie bag some for me please."

"I always do." Ray left quickly and Shinn snatched up the phone and opened it up as fast as he could. It read: 1 MISSED CALL from ADAM CANCHO. Once he read it he went completely rigid. "Ca…Cancho?"

He quickly went through the key controls to listen to the voice-mail. "Um, hey Maya, it's me, Adam. You know, Adam Cancho, Shinn's friend? I was just calling on my old cell to check up on my friends. If you can, call me back okay? Thanks."

Shinn trembled as the phone dropped to his bed. Tears began to sting his eyes. "Cancho. Adam Cancho." He smiled as he looked to the ceiling. "He's alive. He's really alive." The black haired boy recalled his best friend's number and dialed it.

Adam finished his 50th round of Solitaire when his danger alarm went off. "What now?" His screen pulled up the mysterious battleship. "What the heck? That's one fast ship. Why'd it catch up to me?" The monitor zoomed in on its two main Godfried cannons, which moved to point towards the camera. "Oh hell no!" He pulled out of the autopilot and dove as 4 beams of green light erupted from the cannons, missing him by a meter. "Okay, that settles it. This just isn't my day."

He feigned getting hit and went into a tailspin. Adam turned on the Phase Shift armor as he threw the switch to switch to mobile suit mode. The transformation completed and he spun upwards and posed his gun when he stopped. "Woah!" He cried and put the burners to max. Two Godfried beams coated the air where he was only a second before. "Note to self, don't pose if you're getting shot at."

He opened a channel to the offending ship. "Calling unknown battleship, hold your fire! I have made no offensive against your ship, please call off your assault!" The only response was a barrage of 4 Warthog missiles. "I said hold your freaking fire!" He put all engines in reverse as he shot down one with his buster rifle and two with his Vulcan cannons. The fourth impacted his shield. "I have no quarrel with you. I ask you again to leave me be."

Adam weighed his options as he evaded another beam attack. 'There's no way I can take out something that big on my own, and in a ship I'm not used to yet.' Suddenly his cell phone rang. He looked at the ID as it slid into view as he shot another volley down: MAYU ASUKA. Against his better judgment, he flipped it open and tucked it between his shoulder and cheek. "Hey, Mayu. Glad to see you're still around, but I can't…."

"Adam! It really is you!" Shinn screamed into his ear.

"Shinn? Hey, buddy, what are you doing with Mayu's cell?"

"It's a long story. Where are you? I haven't heard from you for a year."

"Well currently I'm flying solo in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, trying not to get shot down by this psycho battleship that won't even answer my hails, so I'm really busy right now. Can we talk after I shake this guy off?"

"The Pacific? That's…."

Adam stared at the ship as two large hatches opened in the front. "Linear Catapults? Oh crap, Shinn I gotta go, they're launching mobile suits at me!" He flipped the phone shut and let it drop to the floor. In the lull in the action, he quickly sealed his helmet back on and flipped the visor shut. "I hate it when they get all serious."

Gaia, Abyss, and Chaos, the three stolen Gundams, were launched from the confusing battleship. "Three? Do they think I'm some sort of ace pilot or something?" Once their colors changed to black, blue, and green respectively, Adam hissed. "Phase Shift? They're sending freaking Gundams at me?"

"I like this one. Think we might be able to have some fun, Sting?" Auel spoke to his comrade.

"Yeah, we'll take this one's head for sure." He started in.

Auel shook his head and sighed. "Still in bad taste. Stellar, watch his movements and attack if you see an opening."

"Understood." The oddly quiet girl spoke. All three of the Gundams started to close in.

"This is bad. I can't handle this alone. I need backup." Adam whirled around and put his engines to full burn.

"He's running!" Auel smirked.

"Cowardly." Was Stellar's emotionless statement.

Adam boosted his signal and started doing the only thing he could do. "Calling ZAFT battleship Minerva, this is a mayday. I'm under attack by unknown assailants. Requesting immediate assistance! I repeat, this is a mayday, I am under attack by an unmarked battleship and three mobile suits with Phase Shift armor. I won't be able to hold them off. I really need assistaaaggggghhhhh!" Abyss fired off its chest cannon and a red and blue laser launched at Falcon, which turned the shield to deflect the hit.

Falcon was blown back. "Now it's my turn strange Gundam." Sting and the Chaos slid up next to him. He drew a beam saber.

"Nani?!" Adam reversed and drew his own saber from a compartment on his wing. "This is so not good odds!" He drove forward preparing his sword for the strike.

The two machines clashed as their energy swords met. Both pilots gritted their teeth and strained against their controls. Sting barked "Auel!"

"That's right, just keep him there." The Abyss opened its wings up.

The proximity alarm rang on Adam's right side. "The other one? There's gotta be something I can use to protect myself." He used the keyboard with one hand. "That's it!"

"Hey, you'd better not hit me in the process!" Sting went wide eyed.

"Don't worry. He's a sitting duck." Auel sneered as he fired 6 green beams and his central cannon. Falcon's shield opened around the 4 point star and began to shimmer. The central beam and one of the green ones hit the shield and deflected down into the ocean. "What the heck is that?!"

"Positron deflector shield. It takes a lot of power, but I have no choice but to use it." Adam said as he broke away from the Chaos. He switched to a buster rifle and started firing at the two attackers.

Chaos barrel rolled around the shots and disconnected its shoulder packs. The guns it housed opened up and started firing from different directions. "This guy is a lot more trouble than he's worth."

"Damn it. That one moves like a mobile armor!" Adam snarled as he tried to shoot the two rapidly moving targets while blocking with the shield and also taking shots at the Abyss as well. "Minerva, this is an emergency. I need help now. I've been given a mission to dock with your ship, and am currently under attack by unknown forces. Come on people, I'm up against Gundams here!"

Auel gritted his teeth. "You're mine!" He flew in and leveled his oversized shoulder shields at him. Abyss fired two thick cables with spears on the ends at him.

Adam gasped as his proximity alarm went off. He spun around in-between the cables as he still attempted to shoot the remote blasters. Stellar held back with a beam saber in hand, examining the battle from below. "His weakness is…his weakness is…his flank!" The beautiful but crazy girl hit the throttle.

"This sucks. I'm really at a firepower disadvantage here. And with those remote cannons, it's like I'm fighting four of them. Wait, four? So far I've only fought the blue and green ones. Where's that black one?" His proximity alarm went off on both sides. "Behind?"

"Reeeeeaaaaaahhhhh!" Stellar thrust her glowing sword forward, aiming towards the Falcon's back.

"Hmph." Adam smiled. He hit a button on his side panel and the wings lifted up slightly, revealing a cannon port. "TEI!" Adam hit the firing controls and an orange beam erupted from the Gundam's back, targeting the Gaia.

"Nani?!" The girl said as she put her shield in place just as the beam hit it. "This !" She cried as she was blown back.

"You're the weakest, so I'll take you down!" Adam whirled around fired his buster rifle as he jetted towards her. "Grrraaaaahhhhh!!!"

"I won't die here! I'm going to be alright!" Stellar toggled the transformation into BaCOE mode and charged in the same way.

Adam went wide eyed and put his shield up in front of him. Gaia slammed into Falcon flipped over him. She fired her shoulder beam cannons at him. As the green beams raced towards him, he spun back into jet mode and tilted to the side as the beam scorched the base of his craft. "TEI!" He fired his cannon backwards damaging Gaia's buster cannon on the right side.

"Aaaahhhhh!!!" Stellar screamed as her buster shorted.

"Why you!" Sting fired off some missiles from his shoulder packs.

"MINERVA, IS ANYONE EVEN LISTENING OVER THERE?!" Adam fired his Vulcans at the missiles, taking out about 5 of them, but there were 3 left. "Gyaaaahhhhh!" He cried when he saw them closing in on him.

A red and blue beam fired from below, through a low lying cloud, intersecting the three missiles. They exploded in front of him as Adam, Stellar, and Sting gasped. Sting turned angry. "Auel, what did you do that for?!"

"It wasn't me, honest!" He said back.

The cloud dispersed, revealing a large battleship floating on the water below. A red Zaku was perched on top of it with a Gunner pack. Its gun was still smoking. A pink-haired girl appeared on Adam's communication screen. "This is the battleship Minerva. Identify yourself."

"Hello? Adam? ADAM!" Shinn yelled into the phone, but there was silence on the other end. He shut it and spoke to himself. "The Pacific Ocean? Mobile suits? What has that moron gotten himself into this time?"

The lighting changed, and alarms sounded. Meyrin's voice broadcasted over the com system. "All hands, condition yellow. Repeat, all hands, condition yellow. Pilots report to the briefing room."

"Condition yellow?! The EAF isn't supposed to be anywhere near here!" Shinn ran out of his room quickly.

"Shinn!" Lunamaria caught up with him. "What's going on? There wasn't a drill scheduled today was there?"

"No, something's up, and I have a very bad feeling about it. Come on."

They dove into the briefing room together and got into their flight suits in their changing rooms. Ray was already seated in his suit. When the others plopped down next to him, the video screen in front of them turned on. Captain Talia Gladys was on the screen. All three stood up and saluted. She did so back. "As you were." They plopped down again. "The reason we are on alert is because of a mysterious distress signal we have just received. Meyrin, could you please play it back?"

"Hai!" The girl said offscreen.

The audio played out. "Calling ZAFT battleship Minerva, this is a mayday. I'm under attack by unknown assailants. Requesting immediate assistance! I repeat, this is a mayday, I am under attack by an unmarked battleship and three mobile suits with Phase Shift armor. I won't be able to hold them off. I really need assistaaaggggghhhhh!"

"ADAM?!" Shinn stood up.

All others turned to him. The captain spoke again. "I take it you know this person?"

"Yes ma'am. When back in ORB we were best friends. I haven't heard from him unt…."

"Incoming transmission!" Meyrin interrupted. "It's from the same person!"

"Put it through." The captain said without looking at her.

"Minerva, this is an emergency. I need help now. I've been given a mission to dock with your ship, and am currently under attack by unknown forces. Come on people, I'm up against Gundams here!"

Everyone on the briefing room and bridge gasped. "Gundams?" Lunamaria was stunned.

"Could it be the same three that were stolen from PLANT?" Ray balled his fist.

"Captain! We've got to help him!" Shinn twitched in frustration.

"Negative. We don't know the situation. For all we know this could be a trap, and that isn't your friend speaking." The captain shook her head.

"What?! You can't be serious! What if he's really in danger, huh? HUH?!"

"Compose yourself pilot! I will not have this ship be drawn into another trap so easily."

"But Cap…" Shinn bit his lip and spat to the side.

"Captain." Ray stood up. "If I may, if this statement is true, then this may be the best opportunity to repossess or destroy the stolen mobile suits."

Lunamaria also added in. "And if this is the real deal, then the pilot may not have that much experience. He wouldn't last long in even a one on one fight."

Gladys put her thumb to her lower lip. "And then there's the factor that he said it was a mission he was given. You all make valid points. Very well, we'll take the risk. Meyrin, go to condition red. Helm, rotate 170 degrees and head on yellow alpha."

Alarms blared and the lighting changed once again. Meyrin came on the speaker. "All hands, Condition Red. Condition Red. This is not a drill, all hands to battle stations."

"Impulse will prep to launch with the Force Silhouette, but will not go out until my express word is given, is that clear?"

"Hell, I'm just glad we're going." Shinn saluted.

"Lunamaria, you will mount on the ship with your gunner pack and assume an anti-aircraft defensive. Ray, you will be on the warrior pack and prepped for launch after Shinn."

"Understood." Both of the other pilots said. They raced out to the door to the docking bay.

Meyrin called out on the intercom. "All pilots prepare for battle. Impulse pilot to Core Splendor." Shinn jumped in and saluted as the cockpit closed. "Preparing Force Silhouette on platform two." The second jet slid into place as well as all the other pieces. "Closing airtight shutter. Maintenance teams on standby. Raising elevator to Central Catapult." Shinn's Core Splendor raised to the encapsulated runway. "Impulse, launch standby."

Lunamaria jumped into her red Zaku and Ray slipped into his white one. Meyrin spoke again. "Lunamaria unit, Zaku gunner, proceed to Linear Catapult." Her one-eyed mobile suit was given a buster cannon pack and dropped onto the runway launcher. "Lunamaria unit cleared for launch. Go ahead."

Lunamaria flipped her visor down. "Lunamaria Hawke, Zaku, heading out!" The launcher skids drove her unit forward as she hit the engines. The power cable pulled out and she was airborne. She landed on a flat spot of the hull and cocked her weapon.

Meyrin continued on. "Ray unit, Zaku warrior, launch standby. Proceed to Linear Catapult." The white Zaku was given standard equipment and planted onto the second catapult.

The captain spoke. "Shield the bridge and prepare for battle." The bridge slid down into an armored and enclosed area.

Arthur, the second in command, took his seat. "Activate all weapons. Prepare for combat. Radar readings."

One of the bridge hands turned towards them. "I'm getting four mobile suit echoes at 1 o'clock high. Wait, now three mobile suits and an aircraft. What in the world?"

"Lunamaria." The captain called out to her.

"Checking." She looked into the sky. "Confirmed, three mobile suits and an aircraft. Scanning identity in the database…confirmed! Chaos, Abyss, and Gaia all engaging an unknown aircraft."

"Captain!" Shinn yelled.

"Not yet! We don't know who the pilot is of that craft." She returned.

"Captain, we've got a large heat source just coming onto screen." The radar hand said. "Analyzing signature…this is…Bogey-1!"

"Lunamaria, feel free to make our presence known." The captain said. "All hands prepare for battleship combat."

"Understood." She lifted her weapon and aimed at the group in the sky. In the scope she saw some missiles heading towards the aircraft as a cloud obscured her view. "Oh no you don't!" She discharged her weapon through the cloud, and she saw three bright flashes of light. As the cloud dispersed, everyone above was looking at the source.

"Meyrin, hail that jet!" Gladys broke the pause.

"Hai!" Meyrin turned to the screen. "This is the battleship Minerva. Identify yourself." A boy with orange hair hidden under a yellow helmet appeared on the screen.

"Wow, cute." Meyrin raised an eyebrow and Adam coughed. "I mean, I am Adam Cancho, flying the Falcon. Boy am I glad to see you!"

Sting sneered. "It's that ship again!"

"That thing…him…this time…." Stellar sputtered her usual nonsense.

"Well I guess there's no use hiding it anymore. May as well go all out, right Sting?" Auel smirked.

"Yeah. No more games." He leveled his blaster at Falcon.

"State your purpose. Why were you attempting to contact us?" Meyrin asked authoritatively.

"I was sent by the Princess of ORB, Cagalli Yula Athha, for protection from the Naturals, and given this prototype unit to keep it from falling into the wrong hands." His proximity alarm blared. "Woah!" He dived as Chaos' blaster scorched the top of his left wing. "Can we talk about this after these guys stop shooting at me?! Geez, this isn't my day!"

Shinn laughed. "That's Adam for you, sucker for the cuties and the permanent jokester."

Meyrin's eyes and the captain's met. The woman in authority nodded and the girl turned back to her station. "Welcome aboard pilot, help is on the way." She switched channels. "Shinn, standby is lifted. Central Catapult cleared. Dozo!"

Shinn flipped his visor shut. "Shinn Asuka, Core Splendor, here we go!" He hit the throttle and he was airborne, doing a barrel roll each way.

"Continuing, Silhouette Flyer cleared. Dozo!" The automated ship shot out like a rocket as its wings unfolded. "Platform 3, Chest Flyer cleared. Dozo!" The Gundam's torso and shield flew off. "Moving into position, Leg Flyer cleared. Dozo!" The Impulse's lower half shot out. "Ray unit, Zaku warrior cleared. Dozo!"

"Zaku, heading out!" Ray said as the catapult launched his white Zaku into the air.

"Lunamaria, lifting off!" The red Zaku pilot said.

Shinn took the lead as all of his parts went into the sky. Adam was dodging every which way firing off Vulcan and buster rounds as the other three assaulted him. "Oh no you don't!" He said as Abyss opened up for a 7 beam attack. Shinn fired three blasts into it as the core passed.

"Nani?" Auel said as Core Splendor flew past him.

"That guy…this time…." Stellar got a look at the ship. Her proximity alarm went off.

The red Zaku fired a shot at the black Gundam which dodged quickly. "What do you say we make this a catfight, huh girl?" Lunamaria was itching to fight the girl after what happened in the Heliopolis debris field.

"Stellar, Auel!" His own alarm rang as he dodged to the right.

The white Zaku missed Chaos with his shield charge. "Your opponent is me!"

"Yeah! The first rule of computers and combat, backup!" Adam would have been jumping out of his seat if he could.

"Adam! Don't just float there, you moron! Get out of the way and follow me!" Shinn called out to him as he closed in.

"Shinn? Is that you Shinn?!"

"The one and only. Now hurry up!" Shinn pulled straight up.

"Right behind you!" Adam pulled upwards as well. They paralleled each other with their cockpits facing one another. "You've sure got a dinky ship there."

"It's more than it looks. Check behind you." He pointed to the other 3 parts following him.

"What the heck is that stuff?"

"I'll show you. Initializing linkup system. Adam you might want to veer off a bit."

"Roger." He pushed on the stick and put a little bit of distance between them.

Shinn decreased his speed as the jet's nose folded down and the wings folded in. Laser guides initialized on the Leg Flyer, and the two docked. The gray robotic legs extended out to their full length.

"That thing is a mobile suit? Well I'll just have to show him myself." Adam toggled the switch to his transformation. The hatch in the lower half of his craft opened up and the legs folded out. The hatch doors rotated around and created hip shields.

"Looks like you're full of surprises today, Adam. Don't stall on me now!" Shinn accelerated as the next two laser markers in the Chest Flyer turned on. He docked with the section, and the arms extended and the head popped out.

Falcon's wings flipped to the back and the arms extended out of the body where the wings were. The Vulcan cannons retracted from the nose as the nose popped off and the head was revealed.

The Silhouette Flyer's jet portion detached and the laser markers guided the rest of it to the back, attaching the wings, shield, and blaster rifle to Impulse.

The nose split in two and attached to Falcon's shoulders. The shield slid onto its right hand and blaster rifle onto the left. The wings split in two, to create more stability.

Both of them went back to back and spun around once, opening their shields and pointing their rifles. "Impulse Gundam, pilot Shinn Asuka!"

"Falcon Gundam, pilot Adam Cancho!"

The two looked at each other's suits out of the corners of their eyes. "Not bad Adam. Didn't expect to see you in a mobile suit, let alone a Gundam."

"Same goes to you. I missed you pal." Abyss fired its 7 beam cannons at them. The two Gundams covered themselves with the shields as the energy beams bounced off them. "Let's save the reunion for later okay?"

"Got it. Break on three. Ready?"

Adam nodded. They said it at the same time. "Three!"

The mysterious battleship observed the skies the three Gundams fought off the unidentified mobile suit. Colonel Neo smirked. "This new unit is giving us quite a hard time."

"Sir, shouldn't we strike along with them?" The captain of the unnamed ship asked him.

"No, let them handle this. This pilot is new. His fighting is filled with unnecessary movements. Even though he's a scout, he's good practice for those three as long as they don't get too frustrated."

"Hai."

A red and blue beam cut through the middle of the battle, taking out the three remaining missiles in the air. "Nani?!" The Colonel hissed.

"Sir. We've got a heat source on radar. Matching the data. It's the Minerva, sir!"

Both commanding men spat. "Well this eliminates our element of surprise."

"I'm detecting two, no, three readings from the Minerva ascending to the battle."

"Our pilots will be at a disadvantage now. What do you recommend, sir?" The captain asked the wiser man. "Should we withdraw?"

"Not just yet. Considering they have not launched any more forces, we can assume that they don't have that many pilots left. If we get rid of at least some of these pests now, they'll be at a disadvantage later. Engage the Minerva, and I'll go out to give our pilots a hand." He moved towards the elevator.

"Hai! Did you hear that down there, launch bay? Prepare Exas. The Colonel is going out."

"Three!" Adam and Shinn said at the same time as they kicked off from one another just as another blast from Abyss came their way. Impulse dove to the left down to the side of Abyss while Falcon dove to the right and headed to assist Ray in the fight with Chaos.

Auel whipped out his scythe and started going one on one with Impulse. "You know, you're a real pain in the ass!"

Shinn blocked it with his beam saber. "You're the ones that keep attacking! If you hadn't stolen your suits in the first place, this wouldn't be happening!" He punched his shield into the robot and the impact rippled the air.

Electricity crackled around Auel and Abyss as it started to float backwards. "What is with that shield of his? This happened last time too!"

"You won't live long enough to find out!" Shinn switched to his blaster and fired.

Abyss blocked with its shoulder shield and the beam dispersed around it. "I won't go down that easy!"

Stellar was compensating for her bad cannon and protecting her right side. Even so, she corrected her course and fired each time as she and Lunamaria circled each other. "You won't kill me!"

"Looks like the new kid roughed you up a bit. I'll finish the job!" Luna smirked. Her red Zaku pulled out its beam axe. She charged.

Stellar squinted as she flipped her Gaia into BaCOE mode. She stretched out its wings and engaged beam sabers on them. "You're mine!" She charged as well.

Luna gasped as she started to swing her shield to block. Gaia's right saberwing sliced it in half. She swung her axe and countered the opposite saberwing.

Ray was protecting with both his shields as Chaos was able to launch a missile barrage at him. He still continued firing at the Gundam while doing so. They were at a stalemate.

"Hey White Guy, need a hand?" Adam said as he fired at the enemy from above.

Chaos's alarm went off and Sting pulled back as the beam slid past him. "Dammit! You again?!"

Adam hovered slightly ahead of the white Zaku. Ray sent him a communicay. "I suppose any assistance is appreciated, and the name is Ray. Now move, you're in the line of fire."

Adam skitted away and huffed. "Great, I chose to help the stick-in-the-mud of the group. Oh well." He pulled out his beam saber and throttled towards the green Gundam, ignoring the beeps from his power screen.

Chaos switched into Mobile Armor form and launched its pods. As it reversed, Sting fired at the approaching Gundam with its main cannon. Falcon dodged one and blocked the other two with its special shield. Ray slid to the side and pulled out both of his boomerang axes and threw them at the enemy as he reversed. Sting snarled as he just slid between them, shaving off a bit of his armor in the process. In one of his corner sensors, he saw his ship's catapult open. "What in the…."

A red ship with 4 cannons attached to it launched from the catapult. The person sitting behind the target screen was Colonel Neo. "Sting!"

"Commander?!" Sting went wide eyed. "What are you…."

"Neo! You're out here?!" Auel sneered.

Stellar smiled sweetly. "Neo." But her face turned fearful. "No, you can't be out here! I don't want you to die, Neo!"

"I'll be just fine. Sting, lend me your pods would you?" The commander said. "If we can even take one of them out, it will be to our advantage later on!"

"Right!" Sting linked his ship's computer to Neo's Exas. "You can take over with this. Can you handle 6 pods?"

"Who do you think I am?" Neo smirked as his 4 pods broke away from the ship and opened its cannons. He drove for Falcon. "You should never have gotten into that mobile suit!"

Ray's senses tingled. "This is…." He saw the Exas heading towards Adam. "Look out!" He said as he kicked him out of the way.

"What?" Adam snarled as he recovered. Exas' pods hurtled towards him and started firing. "This really stinks!" He said as he switched to his blaster and blocked with his shield. As Adam fired, all of the pods started moving randomly and in rapid movements at that. All of his shots were wasted. "Crap."

"Break off! You can't handle him!" Ray said as he shielded Adam. He spiraled around and fired a shot at a red one, clipping it. "He's more my tastes. Go for Chaos!"

"Okay, I got it." Adam said as he flew off to find the green Gundam.

"I won't let you!" Neo took one of his red pods and both of Chaos' green ones and attacked Adam with them while the other three targeted Ray. "You don't think I can handle two targets at once White Boy? You're wrong!"

Arthur was barking orders to the weaponsmasters on Minerva. "Ports 1, 2, 5, and 6, load breaker charges. Tristan 1, lock on to the enemy's portside. Tei!" The Minerva fired shots at the battleship, along with two beams of green energy.

"Evade!" The captain of the other ship demanded. "Ports 1 and 2 fire countermeasures! Godfrieds 1 and 2 target starboard. Tei!" The battleship slid to the side as the Tristan beams missed. Two missiles launched from the ship and broke apart in midair launching shrapnel into the barrage, exploding the missiles besides 1, which exploded in the water next to the ship. 4 green beams erupted from the ship's main cannons.

Captain Gladys stepped in. "Kaihee! Hard to port! Anti-beam launchers 3 and 4, tei!" The massive battleship slid to the side as two explosions surrounded the air right by it. The beams broke apart on them and did no damage, the other two hit the sea, sending a wave crashing into the ship. "Arthur, make a smokescreen!"

"Hai! All ports, depth charges set to 10 meters, target the starboard side of the ship 5 meters away from it. Tei!" Arthur called into his headset. The Minerva fired 8 missiles into the water ahead of the mysterious ship. They exploded and shot water up high, blocking the view.

The captain of the other ship gasped. "Hard to port! They'll be attacking us from that screen! Godfrieds aim in the center of it!"

Gladys leaned forward. "Hard to starboard! Tristan 1 fire into the center of the screen. Tei! Projectile cannons and Tristan 2 target the edge of the screen." She squinted as she waited. The tip of Bogey-1 emerged from the screen. "TEI!"

The captain of the other ship smiled as the Tristan beams dove into the water through the center of the screen. "Prepare the counterattack. Aim the cannons into the center of the screen and fire once you see the ship. All missile ports at medium yield." They waited as they pulled aside from the screen, only to see a red tip of the Minerva. "Starboard now!" He screamed. Minerva's projectile cannons went off and one of them came within a meter of the ship. One of the Tristan cannons impacted the side of the ship, taking out one beam of Godfried 1.

"That's a hit!" Arthur said.

"Don't celebrate yet, she's still afloat." The captain turned to Meyrin. "How are our pilots doing?"

"No weapons requests have been sent as of yet. All of their power levels are fine."

"What about the new one?"

"One moment." She brought his stats up on her screen. "His power is near the red line! Doesn't he notice?"

"He's new, he couldn't know about the power limit. Hail him!"

"Hai!" Meyrin turned to the controls. "Falcon, your power has become dangerously low, disengage. I repeat, disengage!"

Adam looked up into his communications screen. "Cute." His thought was ripped out of him when he got hit by Chaos' pod cannons. "I mean I would if I could, but I'm trapped!" He fired wildly, trying to hit the pods.

Chaos pulled out a beam saber. "Your head is mine!" He charged.

Adam's power dipped down into the red and a long beep sounded. His phase shift armor shimmered off and his shield lost power. "What's going on?!" His alarm went off and he pulled up. Chaos sliced Falcon's legs like they were butter and the pod cannons hit his shield and blew him down, pitfalling towards the ocean. "Aaaaaaggggggghhhh!"

"Adam!" Shinn broke away from Abyss, who he was locked in sword-to-shield combat with and dove for the damaged Gundam. "I'm not gonna make it in time! Adam, pull up!"

The Exas cannons bore down on the wounded Falcon. "Die plebe!" Neo fired.

Adam's mind was racing through what happened that day. "This is…this is…this is really starting to tick me off!" A purple football shaped object fell in front of his eyes and exploded into billions of crystals of light and color. His eyes became solid brown except the small black pupil. He turned his jets to maximum and flew away from the beams, towards the Minerva. He looked at the port side of the ship and typed quickly into his keyboard. "Minerva! I'm guessing that's a Deuterium Beam outfitted on your ship?"

The bridge crew gasped. Meyrin stuttered. "Y…yes it is."

"I need a recharge. Target my ship."

"Wh…what?"

"Don't question me right now. You are able to do this, right?"

"Um, yes." Meyrin said after the captain nodded to her.

"Then light me up. Also, send me one of Shinn's Leg Flyer things afterwards. I need a new pair of pants."

"But the equipment is completely different than your shi…."

"Just leave that to me. Hurry up with that beam!"

"Hai!" She switched channels. "Deuterium team, charge the Deuterium chamber. Targets lock onto Falcon. Deuterium Beam ready to fire." Adam flew the falcon straight up and hovered in front of Minerva. "Deuterium Beam, irradiate!" The yellow beam struck the powerless Gundam in the forehead spikes, and they rippled in power as they transferred it to the main batteries. Falcon's power came back up to full and the phase shift armor kicked in again.

"Yes! Have the legs on standby!" Adam turned around and flew towards the action, right past the still diving Impulse.

"Adam?" Shinn was flabbergasted as he pulled out of his dive only to get caught in the fight between Exas and Ray. "Aaaagghhh! Since when was a mobile armor like this outfitted for atmospheric flight?!" He spun around with Ray and tried to shoot down the pods. Ray picked off one of them as six green beams impacted both of their shields. Abyss had joined the fight.

Lunamaria and Stellar were grappling as Adam approached. "Red Chick, don't move!" Adam said.

"Huh?" Luna looked at his approaching mobile suit as it fired its Vulcans.

"Nani?!" Stellar cried as the shots hit her shield as she broke away from Luna. None of the shots hit the Zaku. As she tried to whip out her beam saber, Adam's Gundam flew up and gave the Gaia's head a strong uppercut. "Coitsu!!" She cried as she fell backwards.

Adam caught the battle with Exas in the corner of his completely brown eyes. "I've had about enough of this!" He went into jet mode and zoomed into the fray. "Shinn!"

"Adam? No! Stay away! These guys are way above your level. Besides, what can you do in that form?"

Adam didn't answer as he typed away on his keyboard like a madman. Both of the beam sabers flipped out from Falcon's wings. With a few more keystrokes he straightened them out and aligned them with the wings, creating wingsabers. "How about this?!" Falcon went to full throttle. Exas targeted him with 3 of the pods and commenced firing. Adam maneuvered the plane into a barrel roll and pulled an Immelleman Turn, firing into the pod on his tail with his vulcans, forcing it to explode. "Next!" He banked hard as a green pod dropped down on him. Adam tilted to the side as it fired and slashed it in half with its wingsaber.

Shinn's eyes quivered as he watched Adam take out another red pod by firing off its rear cannon. "What…what is he?!" His alarm beeped.

Auel gritted his teeth. "You don't have time to look away!" He fired off one of his harpoon cables. Shinn dodged to the other side. "Gotcha!" He launched the other harpoon.

"What?!" Shinn was caught off guard. The harpoon pierced through his blaster and exploded, the shockwave sending him flying. "Aaaggghhhh!"

Adam hissed as his eyes turned to the action. He flipped his jet over and went towards them. "Stop this now! Minerva! Launch the legs!"

"Catapult cleared! Leg Flyer, dozo!" Meyrin gave the go ahead, and the legs flew out of the central catapult.

Falcon opened its leg hatch. Adam was typing away at the keyboard again. His damaged legs ejected from its housing and dropped down onto Bogey-1, piercing a wing. "Here, why don't you salute those shorts." He established a computer link to the leg flyer. As he decelerated, the laser pointers turned on on the legs. Normally, the legs would have locked in exactly to the back of the Core Splendor, but in this case, Adam pulled up at the last second, pulled the legs under him, and slammed it into his ship's leg housing, making sure the connectors held.

With its new legs, the Falcon transformed into its robotic self once again. Adam pulled out a beam saber and aimed for the Abyss as it got a bead on Impulse with its cannon lock. "No more!" He backhanded his beam saber into the Abyss' arm. The purple beam stuck out the other end. Adam pulled out his blaster and fired at the saber, making its core rupture and explode, taking the arm with it. Abyss was sent careening.

"Auel!" Sting said as he watched the blue Gundam fall from the sky. Suddenly, his Gundam's left leg wasn't there anymore. An axe boomerang cut through it.

Ray's Zaku caught the returning weapon. "You should not have looked away."

"Just who are these kids?!" Neo sneered as he tried targeting Falcon. Adam sneered as he hit the firing controls. An orange beam erupted from his suit's back, clipping the Exas main. The man behind the mask hissed. "Everyone withdraw! We'll take these guys down another day." He maneuvered his damaged ship towards the battleship.

"I'll take you all down right now!" Stellar had gone nuts again. She had a beam saber in each hand yelling a battle cry and trying to attack anything that moved.

"Stellar, that's enough. Neo calls you. Come home quickly." The Colonel said to her.

Her eyes changed from pure rage into a slight joy. "Understood." She and the others withdrew into the ship.

"All pilots return to the ship." Meyrin called.

"Are we going to pursue them?" Ray asked as he went for his docking run.

"Negative." The captain was the one to answer. "Our priority is to get to Carpentaria. We'll see them again though, I'm sure."

"Yeah, no kidding." Shinn said as he also began to dock.

"Falcon, return to aircraft form before landing please."

"Hai!" He said, his eyes still completely brown as he entered the docking bay behind Impulse. He shut down the engines and turned off the phase shift armor as he was wheeled into the bay.

Adam panted heavily out of relief and removed his helmet. The hatch opened up, and Shinn looked in. "Dude, you okay?"

Adam opened his eyes, and they were back to normal. He looked at his onboard clock. "Aw man!" He threw his hands up in the air, startling Shinn onto is butt and making everyone look his way. "I missed lunch!"

Author's Note: Welcome to Old Friends Anew a parallel to Gundam Seed Destiny and will continue to follow as the show goes on. Please note that you're new favorite character, the joking orange-haired Adam is NOT the guy pictured on the second season intro theme. That dude will come later, and he pilots a new model Zaku with an Epyon-like whip.


	2. Old Friends Anew Ch 2

Old Friends Anew

Phase-2: Ties Formed / Catching Up

The other three pilots were sweatdroping in the mess hall as they watched Adam gobble down all the leftovers. "Oh man, this is delicious." He said with his mouth half full.

Lunamaria leaned over to Shinn. "Has he always been like that? He's eating the most disgusting stuff on the menu."

"That's the thing, he used to be a very picky eater." He responded in the same manner.

Adam picked up a slice of some brown thing. "Hmm? What is this?"

Ray answered while flinching. "Scrapple."

Adam shrugged and popped it into his mouth. "Hmm not bad. Sort of tastes like a combination of liverwurst and Spam."

Lumi turned green. "I think I'm going to be sick." She ran towards the nearest bathroom.

Shinn's eye twitched. 'Scrapple, Canadian cheese soup, chicken and pesto pizza, he's even eating those deadly taquittos and enjoying it. This is wrong on so many levels.' Shinn thought to himself.

Adam leaned back and sighed. "I don't think I could go for desert if I tried. That was good."

Shinn finally snapped. "GOOD! Adam, did you ever wonder WHY there were so many leftovers of that stuff? It sucks!"

"Yeah well, being stuck underground with only hydroponics food for a year makes anything taste good." He covered his mouth as he burped. "Pardon. I'm sure my system will pay for it later, but my mouth was rejoicing."

Shinn blinked, "A…year?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, I guess we've got to catch up, don't we?"

"I'm sure you do, but that will have to wait until later." The captain entered the mess hall.

Everyone went rigid and saluted, as Adam shot up to do the same his legs got hooked in his chair and he lost his balance. "Woah!" He said as he fell backwards. He quickly got up and saluted while grinning.

Everyone sweatdropped again. Ray whispered to Shinn's ear. "Is he like that all the time?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Shinn sighed. He put down his hand as Gladys returned the salute.

"You'll have the time to talk with the others later, but right now I want all pilots in my ready room, including you Mr. Cancho."

"Yes ma'am." They all said.

As the pilots left, Shinn stayed behind, the captain turned to him. "Shinn? Is there a problem?"

"I'll wait until Lunamaria comes back and go with her."

"Why? Is something wrong with her?"

Shinn checked to see that the others, namely Adam, had left. "Lets just say that if you had been in here a few minutes earlier you'd be in there with her." He thumbed towards the ladies' bathroom.

The last to arrive in the meeting chamber was Lunamaria partially helped by Shinn. She was still a bit queasy. Captain Gladys blinked as they took their seats. Luna thanked him and they all turned their attention to their captain and friend. "Well, I think you all know why we're here. So let's started with the debriefing. Mr. Cancho, lets hear the Reader's Digest version of your story."

"Yes ma'am. Early this morning ORB passed a law banning all Coordinators, against Cagalli-hime's wishes. She found me and gave me the Falcon after I barely survived an attack by two murderous Naturals. She sent me and my unit to Minerva for protection and believed that the prototype would be safer in your hands instead of their own military. The Falcon is the first of its kind, and would have become the standard model for the M-3 Astray if she hadn't given it to me. Upon course to the ship, I was almost crushed by that funky battleship when it re-entered the atmosphere. I barely managed to escape such a catastrophe, but it came after me and started shooting. Then those three mobile suits came out and started shooting. After that you already know what happened."

"Age?"

"Sixteen."

"What of your parents? Where are they?"

"Currently hidden in the same bunker in ORB where they have been for a year."

"Your relationship to pilot Asuka?"

"Best friend, or at least I was a year ago before we lost contact."

"What are your loyalties?"

"To anyone that can help me protect my parents and friends, and end this damn stupid war."

"Have you had any military training?"

"None."

Talia sighed as she typed something on her screen. "You may be seated, pilot."

"Thank you." He did as instructed.

"I've been going over the schematics of your ship, pilot Cancho."

"Ma'am, may I request that you call me Adam, like you call the others by their first names?"

"I see no problem with that, but I still wish to be treated with respect, understood Adam?"

"Understood."

"In any case, looking through the schematics of your ship, it is quite adept at maneuvering. Also the Positron Shield got my attention, considering the only known shield of that type was on a mobile armor that Shinn destroyed."

Adam turned towards Shinn. "Nice one buddy."

"Also, it seems to be able to adapt to any type of equipment, thus the example of the new legs you were given by the Leg Flyer. The armaments seem to match up with the Force Silhouette, but the power output is a bit lower to transfer power to the rear cannon."

"Your mechanics are good. I didn't even notice that. Then again, I didn't really get a good feel for her."

"Though your piloting skills are not up to par, you were able to hold off three mobile suits and a battleship on your own. You have potential, and that is why I am going to enlist you under the rank of pilot. You'll meet most of the crew later, but after this meeting I'd like you to get to know the other pilots. You'll be flying with them after all. As for your room, I'm assigning you to bunk with Shinn and moving Ray into another room. I hope that won't be a problem, Ray."

"Not at all." The blonde said. "Shinn snores anyway."

"I do not!" The red-eyed pilot shot at him.

Adam chuckled. "Still haven't kicked that habit, eh?"

"Oh, shut up." Shinn mumbled.

"Your uniform and schedule will be assigned later, but until then, you'll shadow Shinn and learn the ropes. Being in the military isn't easy. You'll find that out rather quickly."

"I understand ma'am."

"Good, now on to the other part of the meeting. During the battle we were able to sustain damage to Bogey-1 that will most definitely need repair, so they won't be attacking us directly for a while. Unfortunately, that won't keep the mobile suits from attacking. Considering their proximity, the ship will remain on condition yellow until we reach Carpentaria. Lunamaria's Zaku will be repaired soon, as will Ray's. Impulse will take a bit longer due to the fact that the parts need to be examined separately. Unfortunately, Falcon will be grounded for at least two days as we examine its systems and conduct the appropriate repairs, although we'll probably ask Adam to take her out for transformation purposes and test runs. It appears that in jet form, it can fit in the Central Catapult, so it will launch just before the Core Splendor. Are there any questions?"

"No ma'am." All four voiced at the same time.

"Dismissed."

All four pilots were lounging in the rec room. Shinn turned to Adam from a vending machine. "Hey Adam, you still like orange soda?"

"Matches the hair, dude."

"I'll take that as a yes. Heads up." He tossed the orange-haired boy a matching can.

"Thanks." He cracked it open and downed half of it in one shot. "Aaahhhh, that's the stuff."

Lunamaria had her arm slung over the lounge sofa as she kicked back. "So I guess we should all get on with the introductions. The name is Lunamaria Hawke, pilot of the red Zaku, but you can call me Luna."

"Luna, red Zaku. Got it. Should be easy considering your hair matches your mobile suit." Adam attempted to burn it into his memory.

The long blonde leaned against the lockers with his arms crossed. "Ray Za Burrel, pilot of the white Zaku."

"Oh, you're that stick-in-the-mud pilot." Ray tilted to one side at his comment. "Ray in the white Zaku, got it."

"And of course you know me." Shinn plopped down beside his best friend and chugged his soda. "Pilot of the Impulse Gundam."

"Well it's good to meet you all, some of us for the second time." Adam elbowed Shinn. "Guess we'll be working together. Anyone else noteworthy aside from the captain I should meet?"

"A few, but you'll meet them later." Shinn took another sip.

"Or you could meet some of them now." A voice said as two people entered, a tan boy of about 16 and Meyrin.

"Oh hey Youlan." Shinn lifted his can. "Youlan, meet Adam. Adam, meet Youlan, he doesn't look it but he's the chief mechanic for Impulse."

"What do you mean I don't look it?" Youlan smirked as he raised an eyebrow.

Adam wasn't paying attention, his eyes were locked on Meyrin. "Cute. Way cute." He said under his breath. Shinn took another sip of his drink while he bopped Adam on the head with his fist. "Ow!"

"'Still haven't gotten out of that habit have you' was it? Tell that to yourself."

Adam let out a halfhearted laugh as he rubbed the punched spot. "Um, hi, nice to meet you, Youlan." Adam looked to his new companion.

"The same to you. So you know the Lucky Pervert over here?" Youlan pointed to Shinn.

"Lucky…pervert?" Adam echoed.

Shinn coughed and quickly chugged down the rest of his drink while blushing behind the can. Youlan began to answer. "Why yes, the day of his first sortie h…." He was stopped in mid-sentence by Shinn's can clonking him in the head.

"As Naruto used to say, 'uruskette dattebayo!'" Shinn growled at Youlan.

He sighed. "Fine, fine."

"Getting acquainted with the new guy, Lumi?" Meyrin sat next to her sister and gave her a hug.

"Lumi?" Adam echoed.

"You call me that and you're dead where you stand. That's exclusively between Meyrin and me."

"Oh so your name is Meyrin? The name is even cute." Shinn bonked him on the head again. "Ow! What is she yours or something? Sheesh. Anyway, it's good to meet you, you're that bridge bunny I talked to during the battle, right?"

Meyrin's eyes burned with rage, and Lunamaria pulled her hand down her face. "Bad idea kiddo. She takes her job very seriously."

"What did you call me!" Meyrin was almost growing fangs.

Shinn slid away from Adam. He counted down with his fingers, 3…2…1…ze….

"Why you!" Meyrin jumped Adam and flipped both of them over to the other side of the sofa. The other spectators winced upon their impact.

Meyrin was on top of Adam, pinning him to the deck. "I…I take it back, I didn't mean it!" She showed no signs of letting up. He sighed. "Fine." He hooked his leg in between hers and flipped around. They flipped positions. "Look, I meant it as a compliment. A bridge bunny in my book is one that won't crack under pressure, and you handled yourself well from what I saw, okay! It was a compliment!"

Meyrin gritted her teeth. "Promise me you won't call me that ever again."

"You're not exactly in a position to bargain, but I promise."

"Then in that case." She smiled her sweetest smile. "I forgive you."

"So cute!" Adam said out loud.

Youlan coughed. "Having fun you two?" Adam and Meyrin were in a very compromising position, and their noses were almost touching.

Both of them blushed badly as they split from each other. "I…I…sorry about that." Adam spoke to Meyrin while looking at the wall.

"As you should be." Meyrin said in the opposite direction.

"Mirei, you want to go to the shooting range?" Luna dusted her sister off. The younger girl nodded. "See you guys later." They exited quickly.

Ray got off of the wall. "I must move my things into the other room. Farewell." He left as well.

Adam sighed as he brushed himself off. "That was embarrassing."

"Not only that, but you did the 'cute' thing again too. And right in front of her face at that."

"I WHAT! Aw man!" Adam slumped.

"Come on, we've got a lot to catch up on, Adam. We'll go to a place where we can talk alone." Shinn motioned towards the door. Adam nodded.

Youlan chuckled. "Two lucky perverts." He found himself hit upside the head by two different fists.

Shinn and Adam roamed the halls as Meyrin just exited the ladies' room on that floor. "And then she said, 'oh really? You didn't say that when we were in bed last night.'"

Adam coughed and laughed. "No way, that cute girl actually had it in her to do something with a dope like you?"

"Oh crap, it's him!" Meyrin ran around the corner and hid.

"That's just the thing, she didn't. She's too sweet and innocent to do anything of the sort, and everyone knew it. That's what made it so funny. Honestly I think you and Meyrin would get along, she's more of a prankster than even you."

"Really? Nah, not after I made such an ass of myself in front of her. I don't even think I'd have the guts to apologize; she's just too darn cute for me to speak to off duty. As you noticed, I kind of turned to mush."

"Appologize huh?" Meyrin muttered under her breath. "You're the one that embarrassed me."

"So anyway, what happened after that?" Adam asked.

"Let's just say that all the enemies died laughing. Hang on, I have to take a pit stop." Shinn motioned to the bathrooms.

"Sure, I'll wait here." Adam leaned up against an intersection in the wall, the wall Meyrin was on the other side of. He sighed as Meyrin held her breath. "Well, here goes. Sorry about that whole fiasco, Meyrin." The girl on the other side of the wall blinked, but said nothing. "I know you're there, so you don't have to keep hiding."

She took a fresh breath. "How did you know?"

"Your hair reflects off the wall. You know I never meant any of that to happen, right?"

"Yeah, well it did happen."

"Yeah, it did."

After a long pause, they both sighed. "So, do you really think I'm cute?"

"Why else would I be talking to you without looking at you?" He chuckled.

"Well, you could be gay and you don't want me to find out." Meyrin smirked.

Adam slid off the wall and fell to the floor. "Where did you pull…that…" He mistakenly looked at the girl who was crouched in front of him.

She examined his face closely, then beeped his nose. "Nope, definitely not gay. Although you're the first guy to stop dead in his tracks because of me."

He rubbed his nose as he stood up. "Don't you have a firing range to go to?"

"Ah! That's right! Bye!" Meyrin ran past him.

Shinn leaned in the doorframe. "That was interesting."

"You were there the whole time, weren't you?" Adam still rubbed his nose.

"Yep."

"You won't tell anyone, will you?"

"I won't say a word."

"Whew."

"Except to maybe Luna. When she hears this, she'll want you castrated." Shinn ran off.

"Don't you dare!" Adam ran after him at top speed.

After chasing Shinn around the ship twice, Adam got out of breath. "I give up. Fine, tell Lunamaria, go ahead. I don't care anymore."

"Good, that will remind you to keep clean with her." Shinn was in the same condition.

"Making sure you keep the title of 'Lucky Pervert?'" Adam found himself receiving a slap to the back of the head.

"Shut up about that. It's embarrassing enough as it is. Anyway, we're here." Shinn pressed a button, and a door slid open. As they walked outside, into the open air, the ocean breeze hit their faces and the sun shone off of their hair. "Up here!" Shinn motioned to Adam, who was still taking it all in.

They climbed up ladder grips and climbed higher and higher. "Woah! It's a long way down!" Adam commented.

"Then don't look down, moron. Come on, we're almost to the top." No sooner had he said that then he met the last rung and pulled himself atop the metallic structure. He grabbed Adam's arm and pulled him up as well.

Adam looked at what he was sitting on, and its relation to the rest of the ship. "The Deuterium Cannon? You're special private spot is the Deuterium Cannon? We're out in the freaking open!"

"Do you see anyone around? As long as no one can see or hear us, we're okay. Sometimes the open air is the most private."

"I think I get that." Adam lied back onto the metal and sighed. "It feels so nice to just look at the sky again."

"There you go again with that out-of-touch-with-the-world bit. Just what happened to you in the past year?"

Adam propped himself up on his elbows. "Oh yeah. I guess I should tell you from the beginning. It all started about three years after my parents got married. Suddenly, I was there. I was a rather easy labOW!" He stopped and grabbed his head, which Shinn had smacked.

"Not THAT beginning, you dope. Let's try from the attack on ORB."

"Okay, I'll try again…."

"_I remember it rather well. I was actually with my parents at work that day, something about DNA research, but I didn't get the gist of it. As you know, my mom and dad worked in the R and D department of the Astray project."_

"Hey, Mom." Adam sat down in a chair next to his mother and spun around in it while she typed.

"Hey, sweetie, how's the arm?"

Adam looked at the bandage on his right arm. "It still stings a little. Why'd they have to draw so much blood anyway?"

"I have no clue. I'm a technologist, not a biologist. I did hear that Shinn and Mayu had the same thing done to them a few weeks ago."

"Huh, oh well. So what are you working on?"

"Just the project's operating system. I took your suggestion and added Solitaire to it."

"_Huh, so that's why my OS had Solitaire in it. Anyways…"_

She turned to him. "Why don't you check on Dad? Tell him that we'll be eating lunch an hour late."

"Mom! How could you! You can't just push back lunch…it's so…so…unlunchlike! It's against traditions to have lunch after 1 PM!"

"**That would explain your love of lunch."**

"_Shut up, Shinn. Who's telling the story here?"_

She chuckled. "Just go, dear."

"Roger." Adam mock saluted and ran off, doing somersaults and cartwheels.

"**Wait a minute. 'Somersaults and cartwheels?' The only time you did that was when you slipped on puke in front of the track team."**

"_So I took some poetic license."_

"**Just stick to the facts."**

"_Spoil sport."_

"Hey, Dad!" Adam said as he ran up to the man.

"Shhh! Just a little more." The man waved him off temporarily. He meticulously scraped off a sliver of clay and threw it away. "Perfect! Come and look at this, Son."

"Um, it's a lump of clay, Dad."

"It's not just any old lump of clay. This is what the new hoverjets will look like. Now all I have to do is laserscan it into the computers." He commanded the computer to make a 3D model of the model he just made.

"_THAT'S where I saw that hoverjet before! Oops, got off track again."_

"So, what's new, Son?"

"Mom said we'll be having lunch an hour late."

"That's pure evil! She can't let us take our lunch away from us like that! Come, Adam, we must rescue our lunches from the clutches of time!"

"**I see it's hereditary."**

"_Shut up!"_

"I'll be the knight and you be the steed, Adam." His father grinned.

"Dad, I gave up that game years ago."

"Please?"

Adam sighed. "Fine." He lifted up his father onto his back and trotted around the compound.

"**Adam, you're slipping into fiction again."**

"_I was just testing you is all. Heheheheheheh."_

"**Uh-huh. Sure."**

As Adam and his father passed the main control room, they heard something unexpected from one of the crew. "The Earth Alliance fleet! Why are they here!"

"What was that!" Adam's father ran into the room.

"Oh, Cancho-san, look at the radar screen. There's got to be at least 20 battleships nearing ORB waters."

"That can't be!" His face turned white as a ghost after he examined the radar. "Most of them are mobile suit carriers."

"Dad?" Adam said, not liking his father's face at the moment.

"Adam, let's get Mom, NOW!" He ran for the exit, grabbing the boy roughly in the process.

"Cancho-san! What are you talking about!"

"Don't just stand there, you idiot, spread the word, everyone needs to evacuate!"

"Dad, what is it?"

"An invasion. Come on, we have to hurry!"

"_After a short while we were pulling Mom from her desk, and attempting to get out as fast as possible. Unfortunately, we weren't the only ones. Word spread faster than we thought."_

When they reached the exit, there was a line of people waiting to get through the security gate. Adam and his family quickly jumped into line. The sooner they got through this, the sooner they would be safe. His mom spoke. "How long do you think it will be before it starts?"

"A few hours. We should be through by then." His father answered. After five minutes, he was pacing. After ten, he threw up his hands in the air. "Ah moi! We can't do anything sitting here. There has to be SOMETHING we can do!"

"Dad, here." Adam took out his cell phone. "If things are as bad as you say, then we should try to warn as many people as possible, right?"

"My son is a genius." Mr. Cancho dug deep into his pockets and pulled out his own cell. "Aha! Here it is. Dear, you too."

"I'm dialing as we speak." Mrs. Cancho had hers to her ear.

Adam started going through his saved list of numbers. He hit the number for a one Mayu Asuka. It rang three times before someone picked up. "Hello?" A female voice answered.

"Mayu? It's me, Adam. Listen this is very im…."

"If it's about a date it'll haveta wait."

"Date! You think this is a joke you little brat?"

"Now hand over that Chao, nice and easy." Espio said.

"_HOLD IT! How'd Espio get roped into this? He isn't even real!"_

"**You said that date thing. Probably triggered some memories of Sonic Heroes."**

"_Yeah, that's probably it. Hey, wait a minute, we just made a product placement!"_

"_**You're welcome SEGA!"**_

"_Anyway, aside from the Espio line, how about I continue."_

"Oh, so you really are asking me out, Adam?" Mayu said on the other side of the phone. "Hate to break it to you, but I'm too young for you."

"This isn't about some freaking date! Listen, Mayu, I need you to be serious here. You have to listen carefully."

"You're no fun."

"Look, just take your family and get to the nearest evac ship. ORB is about to get invaded!"

"Yeah, right. ORB is neutral, we won't get attacked."

"Mayu, I'm not joking around. There are at least twenty Earth Alliance battleships headed our way!"

"Yeah, sure. You're just trying to scare me. I'll tell Shinn you called. Bye now!" She hung up.

"Mayu!" He paused for effect. "Dammit." He moved on to another number.

After an hour of waiting and calling, the Cancho family made it outside. At the same time, the emergency alarms started blaring. "Come on! With everyone like this, we won't be able to take the car. We'll walk, or run in this case." His father said, and they took off in the direction of the house.

When they entered their neighborhood winded, the explosions could be seen and heard. "Dammit! I didn't think they'd start so soon!" His mother swore.

All three were relieved when they turned down their street. "Almost there."

Their relief didn't last long as two large shadows passed over them. A purple beam hit the side of hill above them. Adam and his family looked up. Two human shaped forms were duking it out in the skies. "Mobile suits!" Adam's father cried out under the roar of the engines.

One of the giant robots spread eight wings from its back. "No, not mobile suits. Gundams. That's Freedom!" Adam pointed up.

"Get down!" His mother pushed him to the ground and covered him as a red and blue blast took out a house on their street. "We have to hurry before we're vaporized!"

Adam sat up, he recognized the position of the missing house. "Krista! No!"

"Adam, come on!" His father grabbed his shoulder.

"But Krista! What if she's…."

"She's probably already evacuated, now come on!" He nearly yanked the boy's arm out of its socket.

Adam was still looking back. The turquoise Gundam fired a beam weapon that curved around and hit another house. It turned its robotic head towards them. "Oh hell no!" Adam screamed in realization. The strange mobile suit fired another shot, this time aimed directly at them. Freedom dove down and intercepted the blow with its shield, but the force started hurtling it towards the running family. "Look out!" Adam yelled.

"_That's the last thing I remember about it. The next thing I knew I was in the bunker deep underground, with a splitting headache and a bandage around my head. Mom and Dad were there too, a little dirty, but they were okay none the less. We stayed in that bunker for an entire year, eating nothing but dehydrated, condensed, and hydroponically grown food. Only today had I stepped outside again, and look where it gets me! In a LOT of trouble. But at least I got to meet you again, Shinn."_

Adam flopped onto his back again and put his hands up behind his head. "It sure feels good, doesn't it? I never thought I could miss something so trivial as relaxing, looking at the sky."

"The sky? I guess it is peaceful, for now." Shinn sighed heavily. "But when the war comes into your skies, it burns a hole right through you."

"Hmm?" Adam blinked. "Anyway, now it's your turn. What have you been up to for the past year? And where's that cute little sister of yours? I didn't see her running around the ship at all."

Shinn stayed quiet. So quiet that Adam sat up again and saw him flipping open and closed a pink phone.

"Isn't that Mayu's cell? What are you doing with it?"

A tear ran down Shinn's cheek as he keyed the voice-mail message. "Hi, you've reached Mayu's cell. I'm not here right now, so leave a message after the beep and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Buh-bye!"

"It's all that's left." Shinn whispered.

Adam's eyes went wide, and he turned away.

"If Mayu had listened to you, she'd be alive. Mom and Dad would be alive."

"Shinn, I'm…."

"Just drop it, okay? I can't take it right now."

"I'm…okay. Dammit." Adam whispered.

There was nothing but silence for a long while.

Meyrin's voice was sent throughout the ship and outside it too. "Attention all hands. Attention all hands. We will be arriving in Carpentaria overnight. The captain has ordered all crew to disembark and get a little R and R while we repair and re-supply. Secondary crew will get tomorrow off, and the primary crew will get off the day after that. Enjoy Earth, ZAFT style everyone!"

"Carpentaria?" Adam looked towards his best friend.

"That's ZAFT's base in the Pacific Ocean. That's where we'll get fresh stuff, and new orders. It'll also be to submit reports to HQ. You'll be in there too, Adam. We'll make you official that way."

"Oh, okay. I'm just itching for some civilization right now."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. ORB is no civilization I'd like to live in, the damn Athhas made it that way."

"Hey come on now don't…."

Meyrin's voice came around again. "Oh, and Shinn, get off the Deuterium Beam. The maintenance crew is complaining about footprints again."

Shinn's head fell as he sighed. "Well, looks like I'll have to find another spot, again." They slowly descended the beam and went inside the ship.

Adam and Shinn roamed the halls, Shinn giving the boy the grand tour. Suddenly, Adam yawned deeply. "Woah, Adam. Close that would you? You're attracting flies."

"Shut up. My breath isn't that bad."

"Whatever you say, scrapple-face." Shinn held his nose.

"Is it really that bad?" Shinn nodded, and Adam had to resist sighing, "Then maybe you should show me to our room. I'll get brushed and everything in there."

Still holding his nose, Shinn nodded again before they left for their quarters. Once getting to the correct floor, he announced, "Well, this is the quarter deck."

"Does that mean there's a half deck? Hahahahaha!"

Shinn rolled his eyes. "I know that there isn't a full deck up there." He pointed to the laughing boy's head. "Come on." They went to the door as Ray came out with a plastic bag over his shoulder and a cardboard box under his arm. "Hey, Ray."

"Shinn, Adam." He nodded to both boys.

"Where's your new room?" Adam asked.

"A few doors down the hall. I don't have a roommate as of yet, but I'm sure that will change when we re-supply at Carpentaria." The blonde tilted his head towards the other side of the hall.

"Do you need any help?" Shinn was about to offer to take the box from him.

"No, thank you. This is the last of it. Adam, your things were dropped off about half an hour ago and are lying on your bed. I suppose I will find both of you at dinner. See you then." Ray stepped away from the boys and went towards his new room.

Adam and Shinn went inside their room and the orange-haired boy flopped onto his bed. "Comfy."

Shinn raised an eyebrow. "The first night I thought it was as hard as a rock."

"I slept on a cot for a year. Those things suck." Adam sat up and rummaged through his backpack. "Where did I put that stuff?"

"What are you looking for?"

"I'm trying to find…ah! Here they are!" He whipped out a toothbrush and toothpaste. "I had planned on staying at least two days outside, so I brought the essentials, along with a wad of cash just in case."

"At least you won't have to borrow my toothbrush. That would be disgusting."

"Yuck." Adam shuddered. "Bad image there. I'm gonna see if I can do something about this breath." He opened the door to the bathroom and closed it behind him.

A few minutes later, Adam exited the bathroom with a bright smile. "Ahh, fresh and clean mouth."

"To an extent."

"No, that would be the brain." Both boys chuckled.

"So I'm supposed to be shadowing you tomorrow, huh? Besides pilot and be annoying, what else do you do around here?"

Shinn checked his watch. "We'll talk about that during dinner."

"At 5 PM?"

"Trust me, you'll learn the schedule. Come on." Shinn went out the door and Adam began to follow, but he gripped his stomach and stepped back. The black haired boy took notice of the orange-haired one's absence and turned around. "Something wrong?"

"Um, yeah." Adam said. "Sorry, can't talk. Gotta go!" The boy raced into the bathroom and let out a loud sigh.

Shinn was left in the doorway with a sweatdrop. 'Wh…what was that all about?' He thought to himself.

After a couple of minutes of waiting, the toilet flushed and Adam re-emerged. "Much better."

"Hope you washed your hands."

"Yes, Mom." Adam rolled his eyes.

"Let's get to dinner then." Adam made it to the door this time before he clutched his stomach again. After dancing around for a second he shot into the bathroom. Shinn sighed as he walked back into the room. "What, again!" He called out to the boy on the bowl.

"Shut up and tell me where the diarrhea medicine is!"

Shinn sweatdropped again. "The food from lunch repeating on you?"

"Only five times worse. Where's that medicine?"

"There's some liquid stuff under the sink."

"Don't…say…liquid." Adam strained.

"I could have lived without hearing that one."

"Shinn, I don't think I'm going to make it to dinner tonight. Have fun without me."

Shinn just sighed heavily as he left, but not before wishing the poor boy luck.

Shinn re-entered about 45 minutes later. There was still no sign of Adam. He shrugged as he flopped onto his bed and flipped open Mayu's cell. After cycling through the pictures twice, he heard the toilet flush. He flipped the phone shut as an exhausted Adam plopped onto his own bed. "Feel better?"

"This just proves that today has been a very crappy day." The Falcon pilot spoke into his pillow.

"Well you're in the right place. Get some sleep, we have a long day tomorrow."

"At 6 PM?"

"Like I said, you'll get used to the schedule. Trust me, you'll need all the sleep you can get."

"Roger." He saluted into the air while the rest of him was still stuck in the pillow. He was asleep with in seconds.

Shinn sighed as he put the pink phone on his dresser. "At least I know that I haven't lost everything. What would you think if you were here, Mayu?" With that he closed his eyes.

Adam sat up in bed like it was made of nails. He checked the time on his watch, which he forgot to take off before falling asleep. 11 PM. "Damn dream." He whispered. "How many more times do I have to see it?" He put his head against the pillow and fell asleep again.

Little did he realize that the red eyed pilot was observing him, clutching the phone in his right hand, awoken from his slumber by a nightmare of his own.


	3. Old Friends Anew Ch 3

Old Friends Anew

Phase-3: A Day in Military Life

"Okitei neboskei!" Shinn called into Adam's ear.

The orange-headed boy stirred for a second, muttered something unintelligible and went to sleep again.

"Geez, when I say to wake up, I mean to wake up now!" The black-haired roommate knocked on the sleeping boy's forehead.

Adam rolled over so his face was in the open air. "Just a little while longer Mom, I just have to chip this last…piece…off…." He fell silent again.

Shinn's eyebrow twitched. "That does it!" He gripped the underside of Adam's mattress and lifted it up, rolling Adam out of bed and having him crash to the floor.

Adam sat up. "What? When? Where? Who got a seven-ten split?" He looked around wildly as Shinn hit him with the mattress.

"Next time I say to wake up, do it. Now let's go. You're going to make me late for my rounds." He threw the mattress back on the bed.

"Then go. It's not like I'm stopping you from making them." Adam wiped the sleep from his eyes.

"You're supposed to do them with me. Now go take a shower and hurry it up. Geez."

Adam sighed and took his clothes and was in and out of the shower in ten minutes. He yawned as he exited. "Why am I still so sleepy?" He glanced at his watch as Shinn had his arms folded in front of him. Adam's eyes went wide as he got in Shinn's face. "5:15 AM! You wake me up at 5:05 AM! Are you NUTS!"

"I don't want to hear it, rookie. You're a soldier now, and you'd better act like one. You will wake up at 5:00 AM daily and do exactly as the commanding officers say, is that clear?"

"You're such a hardass." Adam pouted.

"What did you say!" Shinn's eyes flashed with a forced rage. "Make that bed soldier before I get the quartermaster for inspections."

Adam grumbled as he started making his bed. Shinn made his as well. "Done." The Falcon pilot turned around. Shinn shook his head. "What?"

Shinn tossed a dime onto Adam's bed. "Those sheets are supposed to be tight enough so that that coin will bounce on impact. Do it again."

Adam's jaw dropped. "You've got to be kidding me." Shinn squinted as he tossed a dime onto his own bed. Sure enough it bounced. Adam's head drooped as he redid the bed. He flipped the coin onto his bed again and it bounced.

"Good, now do it correctly the first time next time. We're going to breakfast, now move."

Shinn pushed the poor boy to the door while Adam tried to keep his balance. "What is with you today, man? You're like a total psycho!"

"Shut your trap and walk!" Shinn forced Adam to move. As they made their way to the mess hall, Shinn paralleled him and sighed. He whispered to his friend. "I'm sorry I have to do this, Adam, but you don't have the luxury of basic training. I have to be hard on you. I have no choice to be the drill sergeant here. I know it's hard, just try to survive the day."

Adam smiled slightly. "So this is what the captain meant when military life is hard."

"Exactly," Shinn sighed again. "And Adam?"

"Hmm?"

"Pick up the pace, leadfoot!" Shinn raised his voice again.

Adam sighed as he increased his speed.

"Chew! Chew! Stuff that face! You're going to need all that energy for what I'm going to put you through!" Shinn yelled in Adams year as he forced the poor boy to eat as fast as possible.

"You know…" Adam paused to munch. "If I'm not careful…I could have a repeat of…last night. I want that…just as much as…you, so could you back…off when it comes to food?"

Shinn glared at the boy for a moment and snarled. "Fine."

"Thanks." Adam took a bite of a sausage patty and immediately spit it out. "You know that the sausage is bad when you actually have to salt it to make it taste like anything."

Lunamaria put her tray down and sat next to Adam. "Try the eggs. They're actually edible, except on weekends."

"What happens on weekends?" Adam salted his scrambled eggs and took a bite approvingly.

Ray joined Shinn. "Then the eggs come from a spray can."

Adam shuddered at the thought. "Then what am I supposed to eat then?"

"Best to stick with the omelets." Youlan appeared out of nowhere.

"Noted." Adam said with a mouthful of eggs.

Shinn looked at his watch. "Time's up. Let's go, rookie."

"But I'm not done yet!"

"You want to question me again, plebe!"

"N…no." Adam tried to dissolve into his seat.

"No, sir!"

"Pardon?" Adam squeaked.

"Listen up you little wimp! The first and last words out of your mouth will be sir every time you speak, do you hear me!" Shinn loomed about 15 feet above Adam, or it looked like that to him.

The entire table blinked at Shinn. Lunamaria and Youlan had their jaws on the table. Adam swallowed the rest of his eggs in his mouth. "Um, sir, yes, sir?"

"Good! Now get up, we're going to get you some serious training!"

As the two left quickly, everyone left at the table followed them with their eyes. Another young male mechanic with brown hair, but a little tuft of orange in the front sat down next to them. "Seems like he's being really hard on the new guy." (Author's Note: Does anyone know this kid's name? I can't find it anywhere.)

Ray looked into his apple juice and took a whiff of it. "I don't think it's spiked with anything."

Lunamaria smiled. "I see. He's running him through a turbo basic training."

Ray went wide eyed. "Dear God! He's not going to survive that!"

"I wouldn't say that, Ray. You saw him out there just like I did. That kid's got some skills. He'll be able to handle it." She took a swig of orange juice. "I hope."

"Orb control. Orb control, do you read me?" Athrun tried to hail his country. Two M-2 Astrays launched in jet mode. "Orb control, this is ZAFT fighter Savior requesting clearance to dock with the Minerva, which is currently docked in your port." The fighters came up on his screen and targeted him. "Orb control, are you receiving me!" They opened fire and he took evasive measures. "What are you doing!"

"Don't take ORB for fools! ZAFT is our enemy!" One of the pilots fired missiles at him.

Athrun shot them down. "Orb control, this is Alex Dino, personal bodyguard to Athha. Put me through to the representative immediately."

"Your voiceprint has been identified, but this cannot be done. This transmission ends here." Was the reply.

"What! What the hell is going on!"

"What kind of strategy is it to attempt to take on an entire enemy nation with only one ship using the excuse of docking with Minerva, which is no longer here. You ZAFT Coordinators are idiots."

"Minerva isn't here anymore!" Athrun switched his jet into a mobile suit and sliced a wing off of one jet. It immediately changed into mobile suit mode to regain stability. The other did the same and fired its main weapon. Athrun fired his rifle at its arm and took it off. With both disabled, he switched back to jet form and ran. "Cagalli." He thought out loud as he looked back at the island nation. "Shit!"

"Lift those damn weights, spaghetti arms!" Adam was slowly losing his hearing from the screams wrought from Shinn's vocal chords. It didn't help that the weight room echoed every sound and doubled it. He was doing bench presses with 75 kilograms on each side. His black-haired, red-eyed spotter consistently spitting in his face with every curt comment was no help as he turned red finishing the rep.

Adam rolled off of the bench, panting hard. "Sir, you're trying to kill me aren't you, sir?"

"Damn right I am! Now get to the dumbbells. 50 kilograms on each arm, a rep for each kilo. Move it mister!"

Adam started doing reps, and after he made it to 25, he started smiling. He thought to himself, 'This part isn't so bad.'

"You enjoying yourself maggot!" Shinn instantly was in his face.

"Sir, no, sir!" Adam put his straight face on.

"Like hell you are. Give me those weights!" Shinn snatched them from him and thrust new 75 kilogram weights into his hands. "Let's see you smile with these! You've done 25 reps, now you have 25 more kilograms. 50 more reps to go, weakling!"

Adam kept going, but it was harder for him each time. When he had 10 left to go, the weights rolled out of his hands and slammed to the floor, nearly hitting both boys' feet. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"I heard that, slime mold!"

"Sir! Just how many demeaning nicknames do you have for me, sir!"

"You think you're smart, dirtwad? I've got a million of them, and you're going to hear every single one of them! Now move it! It's time for your punishment for not completing the exercise."

After a lot of walking and yelling, they found themselves in front of the firing range. "Get in there, toiletwater!" Shinn snarled. They entered and Shinn yelled him to the armory. "100 rounds. You'd better get an 80 on the shots or you're doing it again!"

"Sir! Yes, sir!"

They both signed out a gun, goggles, earmuffs, and 100 simulator bullets. They both started taking their shots. Adam aimed at a stationary target and tried to hold the gun steady, but his weakened arms made it extremely difficult. Even so, he got the first few shots out and still did okay. Shinn sneaked his hand around the screen and flipped on Adam's moving target program and cranked up the speed. "What the hell!" Adam said as he tried to shoot the program as it moved at rapid speed. He panted after all his rounds were done.

Shinn looked over his score. "Aw, too bad, fishscale, only 79. Do it again!"

Adam spat as he signed out another 100 rounds. After 30 more shots, the gun slipped from his hands and his arms dropped to his sides. "Sir, requesting permission for my arms to give out, sir!"

"What is your ratio so far, guppycrap?"

"Sir, 81 sir!"

"Granted."

Adam flopped to the floor of the stall and ripped off his goggles. "Geez." He whispered under his breath.

"I didn't tell the rest of you to take a break, only your arms! Now get up!"

"Sir! Yes, sir!" Adam struggled to his feet. "Sir, what time is it, sir!"

"12:13." Shinn said after checking his watch.

"Sir! Requesting a lunch break, sir!"

"No, we're going to be working straight through lunch."

Adam gritted his teeth. "Sir! Like hell you're taking away my lunch, sir!"

"You dare to speak to me like that, you insolent dog!"

"Sir! If it takes away my meal, then yes, sir!"

"You will be punished, you realize."

"Sir! If it means I have lunch, then I shall accept it, sir!"

"Very well, lunch break."

"Sir! Thank you, sir!"

Adam found that eating lunch was harder than he ever expected. Due to the poor boy gripping and lifting multiple weights and firing over 100 shots with a pistol, it was next to impossible for him to hold basically anything small. No forks, no spoons, no chopsticks, and no pizza either. Adam growled in frustration as the last item flopped face down onto his tray.

Shinn snickered. "Too bad. Looks like you've got butterfingers today. Well, since you're not eating, then back…" Adam shot up sending his seat flying back. "…to…" The Impulse pilot followed the Falcon pilot with his eyes as he went back into the kitchen. "…work." Shinn was left alone at the table.

While he was pondering whether or not to go after Adam and scream at him so loud his brains would come out the other ear, two of the most important members of the crew walked in. "And then when you said 'I'm saluting his shorts,' even I was doubled over. How did you come up with such a witty line, Captain?" The grey-green haired, partially spastic first officer, Arthur, walked in, parallel to Captain Gladys, whom he was conversing with.

Shinn shot out of his chair as fast as he could. "Captain on deck!" Everyone stood up and saluted.

"Oh, please, stop that." She waved them off and nodded to Shinn. "I'm not on duty." As everyone was returning to their places, she walked up to him. "You're being rather formal today, aren't you?"

"Yes ma'am. I'm showing Adam the ropes the hard way since we don't have a drill sergeant aboard."

"Where is the new pilot?" Arthur looked around.

Just at that moment Adam came out to the dining area with a sandwich so big that it could have been seen by Chairman Dullindal up in PLANT. He sat down silently. The three stared at the sandwich, seriously doubting that Adam, let alone anyone on the ship could eat something that large. The orange-haired lunch maniac carefully lifted up the sandwich as it loosely fit into his weakened hands. He chuckled and stuck his tongue out at Shinn as he prepared to take a bite.

"That tears it. It's time you learned some respect." Shinn got up and ripped Adam out of his seat, the sandwich plopping neatly back onto its plate.

Adam struggled and flailed wildly as Shinn dragged him to the door. "My sandwich! My masterpiece! My…LUNCH!"

"Quit your whining, dust mite!"

"NNNNNOOOOOooooooo!" The door muffled the scream as it closed behind them.

Gladys and Arthur looked at the door, at each other, then at the door again. "Isn't he being kind of hard on the boy?" Arthur asked.

"I think he's that way because they're best friends."

"Ah. I see." Arthur continued to watch the door. No one said anything for a few moments. "So, what were you planning to eat, Captain?"

"I don't really know. What about you, Arthur?"

"I have no clue."

They both turned to the sandwich on Adam's plate. "It really is well made, isn't it?" The captain asked.

"Indeed. It seems to have a little bit of everything, doesn't it?"

"That's true." They were silent again for a while. "It seems such a waste to throw it away."

Arthur sighed. "Yes. It does."

Gladys whipped a knife out of no where. "I'll split it with you if you want."

"I would be glad to."

Meanwhile, in his office in PLANT, Supreme Council Chairman Gilbert Dullindal reviewed the latest satellite photos. He sighed as he saw one taken of Minerva. "Talia…I hope she saves some for me."

"Whatcha talking to yourself for?" An oddly familiar girl with long pink hair giggled as she came out of the shadows.

Another photo of the Minerva came across his screen. He sighed. "I guess not." The man with long black hair and trusting eyes stood. "Mia, let's go have some lunch."

"Yay!" The girl clasped her hands together.

A dark red, robotic ball bounced on top of her head. "Hey, hey, hey! It's lunchtime, hooray!"

The chairman chuckled at their antics as he motioned for the girl to follow him. "I'm in the mood for a nice big sandwich." He said as the door closed behind them.

"And next time you stick your tongue out at someone that's superior to you, worm, you'll be LICKING them clean!" Shinn, to his own relief, didn't have to yell as loud this time, due to the echo. He observed as Adam scrubbed the latrines with a sponge. "Let's go, horse hockey, I want to see my face looking back at me in those toilets!"

Adam was seething as he scrubbed. "Why don't I just put a picture of your face on the lid? It's where you sit anyway, so it'll be a perfect match."

"Did you say something, duncecap!"

"Sir! No, sir!"

"Get moving on the urinals! I want them to shine like the tile next to them!"

"Sir! Do you mean for them to be _flush_ with the wall, sir!"

"Did I tell you to make jokes, septic tank! If you're so busy talking, give the walls a shine too!"

Adam muttered to himself. "Geez. I bet this never happened to Kira Yamato."

Deep on the ocean floor, a sneeze echoed through a battleship. Kira sat up and blew his nose. "I hate it when that happens."

"Are you coming down with a cold, Kira?" Lacus crouched down next to him.

"Nah. Someone's talking about me again." He rubbed his nose. I sneezed almost nonstop after Jackin Due."

A girl with short blonde hair chuckled as she leaned against the doorframe. "Athrun was bedridden for a month and a half with sneezing fits."

"Feeling better, Cagalli?" Lacus asked.

"Yes, thanks to you two bakas. Just remind me to kill you if you mention that dress again."

Kira got a sly smile on his face. "In that case, can Lacus wear it when we get married someday?" That caught both of the girls off guard.

Lacus blushed gave her boyfriend a heartfelt hug. "Thanks, Lux." He used his affectionate nickname for her. "But this isn't the time. Could you pass me another sponge? This urinal is being a real pain today."

"Sir! Entire lavatory is spotless, sir!" Adam said exasperatedly.

"Spotless? Spotless! You know what I call this? Crap! That's what!" Shinn snarled.

"Sir! This is a bathroom. Aside from the cafeteria, this is crap, sir!"

Shinn decided to give the angry voice a rest. "Quite right, now come. You have more things to do."

Taken aback by the change in voice, Adam followed without a word. His journey with his friend took him to the mobile suit hangar. Seeing it only once before when he was completely starving, he took a look around, realizing how vast the place really was. "Sir! Where is my mobile suit housed, sir?"

"Follow me. Every day you will perform a status check on your machine, making sure it will start up and all the systems work. Make sure all of your triggers have the safety ON when doing this! Understood?"

"Sir! Yes, sir!"

Shinn walked over to a phone and pulled it out. "Bridge, this is Shinn, who's on launch control?"

"That would be me!" Meyrin's voice echoed through the room.

"Okay, Meyrin, could you be so kind as to lower the catapult and let Adam into Falcon for daily testing?"

"Roger! All maintenance crews clear central catapult! Lowering catapult platforms. Falcon platform set at access level." The Falcon's platform locked into position.

Adam opened the hatch and hopped in. "Okay, now could you put Core Splendor at the access point please? We'll be reversing the process in a bit too, so stay at your station."

"Gotcha." Shinn's jet lifted to the access panel and he hopped in after hanging up the phone.

They both closed their hatches and went through a simulated startup. Adam opened up a communications screen. "Operating System check, batteries check, communications check. This baby is like new."

"You don't have to tell me that Adam." Meyrin answered back.

"I know. I needed to talk to you in private. Listen, do you have like some disguises for undercover missions?"

"Yes, why?"

"I need to ask a favor."

"Get out here right now, snail slime!" Shinn brought back his yelling voice as he verbally attacked Adam, who was still in the cockpit.

"Okay, I owe you one, gotta go." Adam powered down the ship and hopped out. He couldn't help but smile.

"Something funny!"

"Sir! No, sir!"

"That's a lie. I'll just have to wipe that smile off your face. To the gym on the double!"

"Sir! Yes, sir!"

The two boys marched towards the gym they were at that morning. Well, Adam marched and Shinn kept pointing out where his marching posture was off, many times contradicting himself just to get on the orange-haired boy's nerves. When they arrived, Shinn took off his uniform jacket and tossed it aside. He rolled out a mat as Adam tilted his head. The black haired boy took off his shoes, stepped on the mat, and put one hand behind his back as he gestured with his other. "Koi!"

"Sir?"

"We're going to spar, dipstick! Now get your ass in gear and come!"

Adam shook his head sadly as he removed his heavier shirt and shoes and stepped on the mat. "Sir! I'm going to get creamed, sir!"

"I know, now come!"

Adam charged with his fist forward. Shinn flipped his free hand over and pressed down on the fist and pushed it away. He swung his leg under the Falcon's pilot and sent him crashing to the floor. "What was that!"

"Your movements are easy to read and unnecessary. Remember, in hand to hand combat in mobile suits will be the same, if not harder. Koi!" Shinn resumed his pose. Adam crouched low and attempted to dive at him from all fours. Shinn just dropped his foot into the center of the boy's back and sent him into the mat. "Again!"

Adam was on the mat again. "Aghh!" He said on impact.

"This is ridiculous. If you can't even defend yourself against me, how did you manage to hold off three Gundams and a battleship!" Shinn wiped the sweat off of his brow. "Hit the showers. This is pathetic."

The two ventured into the gym locker room and folded up their clothes in separate isles and walked into their own separate shower stalls. Adam listened for Shinn's water to turn on, and when enough time had passed, Adam jumped out of the shower and got dressed in record time. While still checking that Shinn was in the shower, Adam snatched up the boy's clothes and quickly exited. As he rounded the corner, he smiled. "You got the goods?"

"Yep, just as you wanted them." Meyrin stood there with a pile of clothes. "I can't pass up a prank like this." They traded piles of clothes.

"You hide those. We don't want him to find them too soon. I'll complete the switch." Adam quickly slipped back into the locker room and put the new pile of clothes where the last one was. As he was about to exit he called towards the shower. "Hey Shinn, quick whacking off and hurry up!"

As Adam dashed into the hall with Meyrin, some curses followed from inside the locker room. Meyrin looked at him. "You're cruel."

"Wait for it."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDDDDDAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!" Shinn's voice echoed through three decks and scared off a pod of dolphins.

The boy was unfazed as he and the girl leaned up against the wall with crossed arms awaiting the door to fly open. Instead of it flying open, it slowly cracked open and a red eye glared at the boy. "I'm so going to kill you."

"Then come out here and try it."

The door opened fully and a barefooted Shinn stepped into the hall. Meyrin and Adam collapsed into each other in laughter as they slapped hands. Shinn was wearing candycane striped overalls that were extremely baggy, but still was three full inches short on the ankles. His shirt was lime green with pink polka dots and had folds in all the wrong places, making it look like a shirt that Picasso would make. Basically, he was wearing a clown suit. "You are so dead!" Shinn dove for Adam.

Meyrin put her hand out and stopped the tackle as she put something onto Shinn's nose, a red, round ball. "Perfect!" She smiled.

Adam chuckled as he went up and squeezed the nose. It made a quacking noise. Then he broke into a run, away from the enraged clown.

Shinn pointed to Meyrin. "I'll deal with you later." He dashed after Adam. "When I'm done with you, there won't be enough left to send back home!"

Adam was running at top speed diving down each hall he could, yelling "Homicidal clown on the loose! Everyone hide!"

"You'd better run!" Shinn was stumbling over his own clothes.

Meyrin came over the shipwide intercom. "All hands, there is a raging clown on the loose inside the ship. Feel free to seltzer at will. I repeat, there is a raging clown on the loose. Feel free to seltzer at will."

Adam led Shinn throughout the ship, until they got back to the mess hall. As they burst into the doors, the entire place was empty. Adam flipped over one of the tables. Shinn was on the opposite side, trying to figure out his next move. "You're fast, Shinn."

"So are you."

"So, tell me. Do you like math?"

"What the hell brought that up!" Shinn tried jumping over the table and Adam ran into the kitchen.

As Shinn ran after him, he saw everyone of the main crew that he knew there. Adam was grinning widely. "What's a clown without pie?" And with that, everyone let Shinn be the target of the whipped cream projectiles.

As punishment for the prank, Meyrin and Adam were scrubbing the cafeteria clean of pie floatsam. Adam dipped his sponge into the bucket and rung it out. "I admit the punishment fits the crime, but I'm sorry I had to get you roped into it, Meyrin."

"Are you kidding? That was great! I don't mind doing the work after seeing Shinn's face while he was getting pied. It was worth it." Meyrin giggled.

"Yeah well, after all the torture he put me through today, he deserved it." Adam fell back laughing. "I loved it when he pulled out about three pie plates from his overalls."

"I liked how he wiped the cream from his face."

"Oh yeah, and then he said…"

They both cried it out in unison. "'At least it wasn't Lemon Meringue!'" Meyrin rolled on her back while Adam smacked his sponge against the floor multiple times.

When they calmed down, Adam spoke again. "Shinn was right, you are quite a prankster. Thanks for the help."

"No problem. I can't resist a good prank. I think I saw Ray smiling because of it."

"Oh will you look at this!" Adam pointed to a pie plate on the ground. "How could their aim be that bad? There isn't even a curl of cream out of place on this pie!"

"Wouldn't it have landed upsidedown?"

"I know, it should have, but it didn't. That's funky." They let the statement drop as they continued scrubbing. Adam sighed. "Do you think the Captain is mad at me?"

"Not at all. She loves a good joke as much as the next person. But the Captain has to hand out punishments and everything, so she couldn't let it slide." She stood up and picked up her bucket. "I'm going to get some cleaner water."

"Be careful, it's really wet here. Don't slip."

"I know that!" She turned. "Woah!"

Adam turned at the right time and saw the girl in mid fall right next to him. He quickly got a hold of her in his arms, but lost his own balance and fell on his butt with a SQUISH!

Meyrin blinked as she sat in his lap. "Squish?"

Adam sighed. "Don't tell me…." Both he and Meyrin turned their heads to look at his seat. Adam slapped his hand on his forehead and drew his hand down his face. He was sitting in the pie.

"At least we know you're pieous." Meyrin rolled out of the boy's lap, laughing.

After Meyrin and Adam finished cleaning the cafeteria, and himself, the dinner crowd rolled in, including the newly showered and newly clothed Shinn. He seemed a bit calmer as he joined Adam in line. Adam smiled. "Enjoy your early dessert?"

"This is why I don't like sweets." Shinn said under his breath.

Adam sat with the boy at the table. "You gotta admit, after all you put me through, you deserved that."

"Maybe, maybe not, who knows. All I know is that you haven't lost that pranking touch."

"I was a little rusty. Meyrin helped me with the idea."

Shinn smiled. "So you two are getting along now?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't we?"

"Well last time, you were blubbering about how cute she was and your brain went to mush when you looked at her face."

Adam blinked. "Hey, you're right! I didn't do that at all! What's wrong with me? I…" He blushed. "I even had her in my lap after she took a tumble."

Shinn raised an eyebrow. "Maybe Youlan SHOULD call you a Lucky Pervert. She's the most popular non-pilot on the ship you know."

"Is that so?" Adam raised a spoon to his mouth and bit down. Immediately he spit it out along with the contents of it. "Okay, who poured a tea bag into the rice pilaf? This stuff is sick!"

Shinn pushed his plate away too. "The pot roast is bland and dry."

"Guess that means there's only one thing left."

"Pizza?"

"Pizza."

They both got up and ventured towards the kitchen. "Let's just hope they didn't forget the tomato sauce this time." Shinn grumbled.

"They actually did that?"

Shinn raised an eyebrow. "You have to ask?"

Adam and Shinn were ranting as they made their way back to their quarters. "I can't believe them! What the hell was that pizza sauce!"

"I think it was barbeque."

"Barbeque! Ugh! That was sick! But it was the only thing that was edible!"

"It's cafeteria food. What are you gonna do?" Shinn shrugged. As Adam seethed, Shinn perked up. "Oh yeah, when I got out of the shower, de-pied I might add, the quartermaster came in and dropped off your uniform. It's official. You're a ZAFT pilot now. You also have a schedule too. Congrats man."

"Hey thanks. Hope they got the right size." Adam stopped at the door to their room. Shinn stood directly behind him. "There's nothing worse than poorly cut pants. Well, okay there is, but you get the idea." Adam pressed the door open button and ducked low as two pies flew out the door, hitting Shinn in the face.

After the pies slid off his mouth, Shinn screamed. "GUYS!"

Lunamaria and Ray scratched their heads as they looked around Shinn's and Adam's room. Adam spun around and grinned at the newly pied Shinn. "Come on. I knew you were going for a retaliatory strike, and Ray and Luna were the only ones not at dinner. Better luck next time."

"Dammit, now I have to de-pie again." Shinn pushed his way into the bathroom.

Adam sat down on his bed with a smile on his face. He unfolded one of his uniforms and placed it against himself to gage the size. He looked up at the other two pilots. "How comfortable are these things?"

"The thick cuff is tough to get used to, but you hardly notice it after a while. And remember, you'll be in a flight suit half the time, so you won't have to worry about it as much." Lunamaria sat down next to him. She tilted her head and stared at him.

"Wh…what?" Adam said, trying to put a little bit of distance between them.

"At a closer glance…your eyes are really…captivating." Luna closed in on him.

Adam's eyes went wide, and he turned to face Ray. Answering the boy's questioning glance, Ray just shrugged. His vision was quickly filled with the purple-redhead as she grasped his chin and turned his head to face her. He stared into her eyes as she smiled sweetly. She pulled his face closer slowly, and Adam decided to roll with it.

As the boy began to pucker, Luna's sweet smile turned into an evil smirk. Adam's face met pie and was pushed backwards, onto his bed. Lunamaria stood up. "That's for getting my sister involved in your stupid prank!" She lifted him up by the cuff of his shirt as the pie slid off his face. "And if you ever get her in trouble again, you'll get more than a pie in the face, get it!"

The boy would have answered if his mouth wasn't filled with whipped cream. He would have nodded if the girl wasn't shaking him like a rag doll. Satisfied with her work, she dropped him and left, with Ray right behind her.

After the door closed, Adam wiped the whipped cream from his eyes. He started to search for his towel. After finding it, he began to wipe the sweet substance off of his face. "What the hell happened to you?" He heard chuckling.

Adam lowered the towel from his face, still with cream in his hair to find Shinn with a smirk. "Lunamaria is very protective of Meyrin. Let's just leave it at that. You done in there?" He motioned to the bathroom.

"Yeah. It's all yours."

When Adam finally emerged from the bathroom, he was changed and ready to sleep. Shinn was lying on his back and reading his latest magazine. Adam collapsed on his bed. "You will make a great drill sergeant one day!" Adam said as he pointed in the air while his voice was muffled through his pillow.

"Don't oversleep tomorrow. We're going for some R and R, and you need supplies."

"Oh yeah. Forgot. How are we gonna do all that?"

"I'll talk with the others, get them to show you around."

Adam yawned. "Sounds good. Thanks. Goodnight."

"Oyasumi."

Adam shot up like his hips were spring loaded. "Look out! Aaaggghhh!" He screamed as his eyes opened.

Shinn shut Mayu's phone and looked at him in the dark. "You okay man?"

Adam rubbed his eyes and looked at the clock. Midnight. "Dammit, not again!"

"That pizza must have given you nightmares."

"Yeah, no kidding." Adam's head settled on the pillow again. "Let's try this…one more…tim…." He fell asleep again.

"Twice in a row?" Shinn whispered to no one. He opened up his phone to a solo shot of his sister. "Was I too hard on him?"


	4. Old Friends Anew Ch 4

Old Friends Anew 4

Phase-4: Rest and Relaxation Cut Short

Adam's alarm rang loudly. He moaned as he brought his fist down on top of it. He tried to get himself up from his pillow, but slipped back into it. The orange mop snored into the pillow.

Shinn had just come out of the shower and was wiping his hair dry with a towel during the short escapade of Adam. He sighed and wiped the back of his head to get rid of the sweatdrop. He poked Adam in the arm. "Hey, wake up." Adam just murmured something unintelligible and flipped onto his side. "Are you going to do this every day? Wake up!" Shinn yanked the boy's arm.

"Umph. Dad, could you hand me that chisel?"

Shinn's eye twitched, but then he grinned wickedly. He went back into the bathroom and returned with a Super Soaker water pistol, filled to the brim and dripping with its charged pressure. "Hey, I just made a product placement. You're welcome…um…who makes these things again?" Shinn shook his head free of the thought. He lowered the weapon at Adam. "You asked for it, Adam." He pulled back the trigger and a stream of water erupted from the merciless weapon and coated Adam.

The boy shot up in bed instantly and Shinn hid the colorful gun behind his back. "Fine, I'll get the damn chisel myself!" Adam said, still partially asleep. As he blinked himself awake, Shinn came into focus, trying to hold back a smile. "Oh, it's you." His hair dripped water onto his arms. "And why am I soaking wet!"

"Don't worry Adam, I used to have the same problem, when I was FIVE! Now hurry up would you? We've got some free time and we don't want to waste any of it." Shinn turned to his dresser, giving Adam full view of the water pistol.

Adam snarled. "Why you!" He dove at the black-haired boy.

Shinn just smiled and pressed a secondary trigger, and another blast of water erupted from the handle, directly into Adam's face.

After Adam emerged from taking the rest of his shower the normal way, he put on his uniform. Shinn shut his magazine and got up from his bed. "Looks good on you, man." He said.

"Thanks." He looked at himself in the mirror. "But Luna was right. This collar is annoying." He tugged at it for a second but gave up.

"You'll be able to loosen it up once we get off the ship. I'll show you how to make it a bit more comfortable then. Speaking of which, we should get going. We're going to meet up with the others. Bring your money and ZAFT ID. We need to get you some stuff."

Adam got the said items. "Sir! Ready, sir!"

"Drop the sir act. I was your drill sergeant yesterday only. To day I'm back to being normal old me."

"Who ever said you were normal?" Adam said as he stepped out the door. "Pie guy."

Ray, Luna, Meyrin, Youlan, and the kid with a tuft of orange hair (Author's Note: I still can't figure out the kid's name. I know he's a mobile suit mechanic.) were chatting in front of the exit as Shinn and Adam approached.

"I'm serious!" Meyrin pouted. "The Captain was the one that came up with the idea to hang them out on the Leg Flyer, not mine!"

The orange-tufted boy chuckled. "Who cares whose idea it was? It was hilarious. I was rolling."

"Indeed you were." Youlan side-glanced at the boy. "If I remember correctly, I had to grab you before rolled off of the fifth platform."

Adam raised his hand in a greeting to the others when he joined up with them. "Good morning."

"Ohayo." The others echoed.

"Everyone ready to disembark?" Shinn asked and everyone nodded in approval. "I hope you all brought your umbrellas."

Everyone groaned. "Aww, that's not fair." Lunamaria pouted.

"Because you won't be needing them!" Shinn smiled as he hit the release for the hatch. The sun was rising on a beautiful cloudless day.

"Wow!" Adam said as he stepped out. "That's gorgeous!"

Ray spoke for the first time that morning. "So, where are we supposed to go?"

Everyone stopped dead in their tracks. "Um…" Someone said. Other than Ray and Meyrin, everyone flipped on their faces.

"Who's idea was this to go out without a place to go TO!" Luna lifted herself from the pile.

"Um…" Meyrin spoke up and pulled out a pamphlet. "There's this massive mall within about a mile and a half. They have some of the trendiest glamour shops in a 200 kilometer radius!"

Lunamaria rolled her eyes as she got up. "And what else do they have?"

"Um lets see, health food stores. They've got a really top quality salon." She ran down the list.

"Let me see that. I swear, you and your hobby." Luna snatched the pamphlet from the girl. "Let's see here. Ah! Perfect! This mall has everything! Junk food, bookstores, trendy restaurants, department stores, everything!"

"Then what are we waiting for? Luna, lead the way." Youlan stepped back and let her go first.

When everyone got to the mall, everyone went their separate ways. The two mechanics went one way, most likely towards the electronics department. Meyrin dragged Luna along her trip to probably a few hundred of a thousand different beauticians. Ray wandered around with no destination in particular. Lastly, Shinn and Adam headed to one place they hadn't been in together for over a year: an arcade.

Shinn smiled as he jumped into the pilot seat of one of the newest games and Adam jumped into another. This new game was a stunt piloting simulator. Two or more people would fly their planes and do stunts on their own or together and score points. Shinn called over to his friend. "Hey Adam, what do you want to do? Set routine or freestyle?"

"Freestyle it man! What fun is it if you have to stick by a set path all the time?"

"Got it." They both selected their stunt jets, which had the same color scheme as their mobile suits.

They were both directed onto the simulated runway, with Adam in the lead. He was given the clear to take of. "Adam Cancho, Falcon, yeehaw!" He said as he hit the throttle. Adam took off and went into a large and slow loop, and he flipped over halfway through.

Shinn shook his head as he was cleared. "Shinn Asuka, Splendor, ikimas!" His blue ship took to the air just as Adam's loop completed. Their cockpits were directly in view. Shinn looked up and saw Adam waving to his overhead camera, which broadcast a picture onto Shinn's overhead screen. "'Yeehaw?' Couldn't you have done something a little less stupid-sounding?"

"Well you did ikimas. I just wanted one of my own."

"Think up a better one. But do it later, we're on the stunt clock now. Break left and barrel roll in 3…2…1…break!" Shinn and Adam broke away from each other and went into separate barrel rolls. "Hoo! Adam, you've got the next stunt!"

"Okay. Chicken with a hyperbolic breakaway. Begin run." The two jets hurtled towards each other. "Break right in 3…2…1…break!" The two jets angled away when they came within 2 meters of each other. "All right! Shinn, now it's up to you!"

"Yokhai! Nosedive with a hangar clipper breakaway. Begin run!" The two began to plummet as they aimed their planes straight into the ground. They strained on the stick to pull out of it at the last second, missing the hangars by half a meter as they regained altitude. It shook their virtual shingles. "Adam, we're running out of time. Better make this one a good one."

"Oh yeah, this one will be perfect. Immeliman turn loop chain. Thread the turn and go into one of your own, and we'll continue like that. And use your smoke. I'll start it up." When Adam figured Shinn was a good distance away, he nodded. "Activate smoke. Begin run!" Adam's machine spouted out green smoke while Shinn's was red. Adam pulled up straight and forced a partial stall, curving around the hump. As he was leveling out and about to cross his vertical path, Shinn zoomed through the loop. Adam smiled and finished the maneuver and got into position for his run as Shinn pulled vertical. They linked together five of those routines before time ran out.

The simulation stopped and the scores were tallied. The display on both of their screens: ACE PILOT TEAM. They got second place. Adam and Shinn hopped out of their seats and slapped hands. "That was fun." Shinn said.

"Yeah. Brings back memories…of me kicking your butt." Adam put his hands behind his head.

"Okay, that's just not right."

"Then prove it. To the fighting games!"

"Cmon Shinn! Just pick one already!" Adam paid for his book, and had it under his arm. After being decapitated multiple times by the ruthless Impulse pilot, they both decided to go into a bookstore.

Shinn was still leafing through various magazines. "I want to get one that will last me a while. Just go around without me. I'll catch up later." He said as he pulled another magazine from the shelf.

Adam sighed and shook his head. "Fine. See ya around." He exited the bookstore in a huff. "Lousy magazine fanatic." He continued to walk along the second floor, but stopped as the sound of a piano reached his ears.

Adam turned to look in the store that the music was coming from. It wasn't a store, but a place to sit and rest. At the end, by the windows, was a baby grand piano, being played by someone that he instantly recognized. It was Ray. The melody was slow and sweet, and at first, Adam had no idea what it was, but then the notes came together and he understood it.

He smiled as he approached the Zaku Blaze Phantom pilot. "Guess you're not as much of a stick in the mud as I thought." He said. Ray stopped playing and looked towards him. Adam leaned on the piece of musical equipment. "That was 'Ignited' wasn't it? Didn't think it could ever be played as a slow song."

Ray nodded. "I wasn't finished. Would you like to hear the rest?"

"Please."

Adam closed his eyes as the melody flowed from Ray's fingertips. As he caught up to where Ray was in the song, he found himself singing along at the same pace the boy played. "Fukai kodou no saki ni. Kawasu honoo yo egakareta, unmei ni todoke." Ray finished off the song with a high note scale.

Two people applauded and both boys turned to look. It was the mechanics. "Not bad guys. We could strike up a band." The orange-tufted boy said.

"I had no idea you could play, Ray. And as for you, Adam, well I don't know that much about you to begin with so I didn't know you could sing either." Youlan smiled.

Ray closed his eyes and bowed his head slightly. "Thank you for your opinions. And especially you, Adam. It has been a long time since someone has actually sung to a piece that I played. I enjoyed it." He got up and grabbed his soda, and started walking out.

Youlan called to him. "Do you want to join us, Ray? We were just heading down to…."

"No. I must decline. There are a few things I need to take care of. See you all back on the Minerva." Ray left without another word.

Youlan shrugged. The other boy put his hands behind his head. "What's his problem? We were just going to ask if he wanted to grab some lunch with us. Do you want to come along Adam?"

"Does a ZAKU have one eye?" Adam grinned. Like he'd refuse a lunch invitation.

"Yes."

"Bingo. Let's go."

Adam and the mechanics were sitting on some barstools at a lunch stand, each eating a pita of some sort. Eventually, the conversation turned to the Minerva. Adam put down his drink. "The Minerva doesn't have any orders right now, right? So what do you think our next assignment will be?" He looked up into the skylight as he took another bite of his pita.

The orange-tufted mechanic cocked his head. "But we should be able to go back this time, right? To PLANT or into space, I mean."

"PLANT? Space? Geez, I hadn't really thought of that before. I've never been up there." Adam took another bite.

Youlan answered them both. "I guess so. Minerva was built specifically for space combat after all. What's the use if we're not in lunar orbit or the like?"

The other mechanic polished off his pita in three bites, leaving crumbs all over his face. "I wonder what's going on up in PLANT." His hand inched towards Adam's sandwich.

Adam slammed his cup down on the poor boy's hand. "No pilfering my pitas. And how so?"

"Well they did have nukes fired at them…."

"Nukes!" Adam stopped chewing. He swallowed heavily. "Man, I really need to get a newspaper."

"I'm really worried about my mom and the others, you know?"

Youlan smirked. "You mean like your girlfriend?"

"Ahou. I don't have one. Why does it always come back to that with you?"

Adam chuckled. "Probably trying to live vicariously through everyone else since he can't be the 'Lucky Pervert.'" He took one last bite of his sandwich. "Well, thanks for showing me this place, guys. I've got to make a few more stops, but I'll see you back at the ship, okay?"

"Ah."

"Sure." They both gave small waves as Adam left them to their own devices, soda in hand.

Adam went from shop to shop in the mall, picking up little things here and there. A newspaper, some breathmints, a candybar for later. Gotta love the candybars. Then he entered the department store and grabbed a cart and a basket. In almost every isle he found something he needed, and he bought two of each. He spent his time in the civilian clothes section, trying things on and getting some new clothes for when he had some time off. A couple of defensive knives from the hunting and army supply section, just in case he had to defend himself without a gun as well. When he walked into the pharmaceutical and hygiene section. This was going to take up most of his basket, since he had basically nothing.

He was nearing the end of the hygiene isles, his basket weighing heavily on his arm as he pushed his cart along, and he heard a very familiar voice. "You know, the repairs to the Minerva will be done soon, right?" Adam smiled. It was Meyrin.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure." Lunamaria was with her. They were in the final isle looking at makeup and facial products. Adam continued looking for a good shampoo while they talked.

"In that case, we'll be ordered to leave at any time. Right? Maybe I should buy some more, since I might not get the chance again in a while."

Luna looked at her basket and compared it to her little sister's. Meyrin's was full to the brim. "I don't know why you need all that stuff to begin with."

Adam, finding his shampoo, rounded the corner. "Some of us need more than others, especially when you had nothing to start with. Hey girls."

"Oh, Adam, it's you!" Meyrin grinned and walked up to him.

He took a quick look at her basket. "Planning on creating a beauty salon onboard?"

"Ha ha. A girl's got to keep herself looking good for the potential boyfriends, you know." She flipped a pigtail over her shoulder.

Lunamaria shrugged and shook her head. "I just don't get you sometimes, Mirei."

"So are you two heading back to the ship?" Adam tried to break away from the subject. The girls nodded. "If you don't mind, I'd like to join you."

"As long as you don't pull any pranks on us." Luna crossed her arms.

The orange-haired boy rolled his eyes. "Oh darn. And I was going to get you good too. I know when and when not to pull pranks Lunamaria. I'm just trying to be friendly."

"Besides, Lumi, he won't prank anyone with me here." Meyrin turned to her big sister.

"Unless I decide to prank you too." The boy narrowed his eyes.

"But I'm too cute to prank, right?" The younger girl smiled sweetly.

Adam coughed. "Kawaii." He coughed some more to cover it up. "Come on, once we get through checkout, I'll buy you two sodas."

As Adam lugged his bags over his shoulder, while trying to sip on his soda. Meyrin had two bags on one arm and a bag and her soda on another. Lastly, Luna had only one bag, and she finished her soda a while ago. As they approached their ship, its portside Linear Catapult opened.

Luna looked quizzically at the ship. "Are they launching someone? In dry dock?"

"Maybe one of the secondary crew got out of line and this is the Captain's version of saying 'You're fired!'" Adam chuckled.

"No. That's the reason!" Meyrin pointed ahead of the ship. A red jet with a double nose headed towards the Minerva. It transformed into a red and yellow mobile suit as it flew into the launch bay. The three looked at each other, and in a wordless agreement, they doubled their speed towards the battleship.

As Luna, Meyrin, and Adam made it to the docking bay, the new mobile suit was moved into locking position. "Wasn't that thing red before? Does that mean it has Phase Shift armor?" Adam asked.

"Is this a new model? Who on earth is that?" Lunamaria asked one of the senior members of the engineering staff. No sooner were her words spoken then the cockpit opened up and the pilot came out with a suitcase and had the elevator rope lower him down. He unsealed his helmet and shook his dark blue hair out. "Athrun-san!"

"Athrun?" Adam blinked.

"ID number 285002. Athrun Zala of the special unit FAITH requesting permission to board this vessel."

"FAITH!" The senior staff gasped.

Shinn came rushing in, and bumped into Youlan. "Hey, just now…was that a new…." He saw the 18 year old pilot. "You!"

"You're late, Shinn." Adam gave him a side glance.

The boy ignored him and stepped next to Lunamaria. "Just what are you doing back here? What the hell is going on?"

Luna bumped his arm with her elbow. "Watch your mouth, baka! He's with FAITH now!" Everyone started saluting to Athrun as Shinn stared at the Zala's white and gold insignia.

Meyrin and Adam dropped their bags and drinks and saluted as well. "Adam, fix your uniform!"

"Huh? Oh!" He quickly snapped up the collar and resumed his former position.

Shinn was about to say more, but he was stopped as the newly reinstated ZAFT pilot began returning the salutes. He realized that his hands were full, so he forced Meyrin to hold his bag and Adam to hold his drink. The two pouted as Shinn fixed his collar and saluted.

Athrun smiled at the minor mistakes and finished saluting. When Shinn put his hand down, Adam put the soda on top of his head. "Next time use the ground as your damn cupholder!"

Athrun asked the chief mechanic "Is the captain on the bridge?"

"Ah, I think so."

Meyrin started to speak. "Allow me to show…."

"I will accompany you and confirm it." Lunamaria said as she stepped forward.

Athrun smiled. "Arigato gozaimasu. But I would like to have someone else come around as well." He motioned towards the boy with orange hair. "You there. You're a pilot, are you not?"

"Me, sir?" Adam asked. "Yes I am."

"I've never seen you before. Please, accompany us."

"H…hai!"

Lunamaria was confused with Athrun's request, but she wasn't about to question a member of FAITH. She and Adam walked slightly behind Athrun. Shinn took his soda off his head. "So you've returned to ZAFT?" It was more a statement than a question.

Athrun stopped. "It seems so, doesn't it?"

"Why?"

Athrun didn't answer the boy, he just walked away and motioned the other two to follow.

Adam and Luna waited outside of the locker room until Athrun changed into his uniform and returned, carrying the briefcase. "So, what's your name, Pilot?"

"The name is Adam, Adam Cancho, sir."

"What do you fly? A Zaku warrior?"

"No sir. I fly the M-3 Astray, Falcon."

Athrun stopped in mid-step. "The Falcon!" He whipped out his pistol. "Explain yourself. How did you get ORB's prototype unit? Did you steal it?"

"Athrun-san, that's going to far! Adam is just…." Luna stepped in.

"I didn't ask for your opinion, pilot. Now explain, Cancho!"

"Cagalli-sama gave it to me to save my life!" Adam said as he kept his hands in the air.

"Cagalli!" Athrun put the gun down. "I acted rashly. Forgive me. Please continue with your story."

"Yes sir, you see, about three days ago…." As they traversed the halls, Adam spoke his peace.

"Naru hodo. You're another victim. I think Cagalli made the right decision. Although that means that the situation there had become unstable." They stopped in front of the elevator and waited for it to arrive.

"Um, Zala-san, you seem to know a lot about ORB. May I ask you what your connection with my home country is?"

"Adam!" Luna snapped.

"No. It's alright. I was Cagalli Yula Athha's personal bodyguard, before this second war."

"And you're with…but you were…and now you're…" Adam shook his head. "I need a damn scorecard and a year in review article and I need it bad."

The elevator opened up and all three stepped inside. "So you were recalled, Athrun-san?" Lunamaria asked.

"I wouldn't say recalled. I went to talk with Chairman Dullindal when the first shots were fired. But more importantly, when did you leave ORB? When I went there…."

"You went to ORB?" Adam and Luna asked in unison.

"Were you okay?" Luna continued.

"They scrambled against me."

"Damn it." Adam almost spat. "What the hell happened down there?"

"Now I understand why Shinn gets so angry. That country is really messed up right now. They allied themselves with the Atlantic Federation. What do you think happened when the Minerva left? The EAF had set a trap for us and ORB wouldn't let us back into their territory. If it wasn't for Shinn we'd be sunk."

"But how could Cagalli…shit!"

"And then they passed a law banning all Coordinators." Adam scowled. "What happened to my country?"

"I used to admire her, Cagalli Yula Athha. But now she does all these crazy things, then she and this weird guy get married."

Athrun dropped his briefcase and Adam took a step forward. "Kekou!"

Athrun turned to Adam. The boy answered his stunned gaze. "She never mentioned it to me. I knew she was holding back on something, but this!"

"It was on the news a little while ago." Luna continued. Adam and Athrun lowered their heads. The elevator came to a halt and the doors opened. No one moved. "Anno…." The girl pointed out and the boys raised their heads and stepped out of the doorway and the elevator closed behind them, to move to its next destination. "But there's a rumor going around that she was abducted during or after the ceremony. I'm sorry I don't know more." She bowed.

Both boys gasped. As Athrun made his way to the Captain's ready room, Adam turned to Luna. "You'd better start filling me in Luna. Why is he such a celebrity and how do you know him?"

As Athrun continued on his way, Lunamaria and Adam went the other. "Well, you know he fought alongside Kira Yamato in the battle of Jackin Due, the final battle of the first war. He piloted the Justice. I wonder what happened to that mobile suit."

"Sorry, I don't know. Everything I know about the first war goes to the battle for ORB and then just stops. I need to find out what happened after that."

"Hmm." Luna scratched her cheek as she looked up at nothing. "Ahh! He piloted the Aegis for ZAFT before he got the Justice."

Adam's eyes went wide and he spun around, looking at the empty corridor, trying to catch another glance of Athrun. "That Athrun? Pilot of the Aegis, the one who took down Strike, which was supposed to be the strongest of them all? But the pilot for Strike was Kira Yamato, wasn't it?"

"Sou. I don't really know what happened between them, but they became wingmen at some point. They saved us all, even me. I was in PLANT at the time, when the nukes were fired."

"So he really is famous." He turned back again. "Wow."

"And he was with us when all hell broke loose up in PLANT. He was there, with Athha, fighting when those three Gundams were stolen. Meyrin tells me he saved the Minerva when she was cornered in an asteroid. He actually flew with us when we tried to break up Junius-7 before it crashed into Earth. Boy was that a nightmare. The terrorists attacked the demolition team and we had to fight them off. We almost lost both him and Shinn during the whole ordeal. But he came back. He even helped me with my aim." She pointed her finger like a gun towards the wall. "Bam."

"Heh, compared to him, I'm like a mobile armor with only one cannon."

"Yeah, probably." Luna said without thinking.

"You don't have to agree with me you know." Adam got an annoyed look on his face.

"Well, you've only been a pilot for a couple of days, have no military experience, can't tell the difference between the bridge and the engine room, …."

"Alright, alright! You can be so mean."

After asking Captain Gladys for an audience, Athrun and Arthur followed her into her ready room. He handed her the briefcase and stood at attention as she reviewed the contents. She opened up a box that contained a pin that was identical to the one that Athrun was wearing. She sighed. "So he reinstated your FAITH, assigned you to this ship with the newest and most powerful suit, and is appointing me to FAITH as well? I wonder what the Chairman is thinking with all of this." Athrun said nothing. "You look like you have a lot on your mind as well."

Athrun sighed slightly. "I apologize for that."

"There's no need to. I'm sure we all have a lot to think about. In any case," She picked up a small stack of paper on the table. "Do you know what these orders say?"

"No ma'am. I was not given permission to read them."

"I see. This is rather interesting." Gladys said. Arthur shifted and listened more intently. " 'When the Minerva is battle ready, she is to depart to Gibraltar and assist all ZAFT forces in the battle for Suez.'"

"We're supposed to go to Suez?" Arthur leaned forward somewhat. He was, like everyone else, expecting to go back into space.

"Suez is a real hotspot for trouble right now, even though all of western Eurasia is in turmoil. The EAF base in Suez poses a problem to our base in Gibraltar, but the problems aren't so serious that we should have to be sent all the way from here, in Australia."

"I agree." Arthur tucked his hat tighter under his arm. "Minerva isn't made for surface combat anyway. It doesn't make sense to be called on again."

"I apologize for interrupting, but what are those Eurasian conflicts that you spoke of? I'm not fully aware of the situations here." Athrun finally spoke.

Images flashed on the captain's screen for Athrun to see. Most of them brutal or bloody. "You see, Eurasia has always cooperated with the EAF, to the point at which they were basically servants to it. But now some parts have declared independence and fights have broken out. This only started quite recently, so it's no surprise that you didn't know."

"It was just after the war was made official, right?" Arthur attempted to confirm.

"Quite right."

Athrun took a closer look at the pictures. People dieing, mobile suits fighting, civilians getting caught in crossfires. It was horrible. "I knew that Eurasia was a powder keg for all of this, but…"

"The war declaration lit the match and set off all of the kegs at once." The blonde captain turned in her chair. "They were being drafted and restricted, and finally couldn't take it anymore. So the EAF decided to use force on them, and started destroying the revolutionaries. It's a rather horrible situation, isn't it?" Athrun's eyes trembled at the sight of a dead woman covering her live infant in an attempt to protect it. "And our orders are to go there."

Arthur took a step back. "Into such a place?"

"Remember what Chairman Dullindal said. 'Without exception, we fight only because of our right to active self-defense. PLANT has no territorial ambitions.' We have to be careful where we do and do not intervene. But this place is exactly where we have to go, especially you and me, Athrun, as members of FAITH." Talia smiled at Athrun. Arthur shot him a cross look, but stayed silent.

Aside from Athrun, who was still at the meeting, the other pilots were down in the launch bay. Lunamaria and Adam stopped to talk with the two younger mechanics who were working on the Blaster Silhouette. "So is he like assigned here now?" The tufted boy asked.

"Seems that way. We didn't really ask him though." Adam said.

"Why not?" Youlan slid out from under the flyer for a second. "It seems like a valid question. Pass me the arc welder."

"When he came onboard he seemed a bit stressed didn't he?" The other mechanic slid him the requested object and a welding mask.

"I'm not sure." Luna was thinking back.

"I sure am sure." Adam crossed his arms. "You weren't looking down the business end of his pistol, Luna. That dude was really freaking out."

"Well wouldn't you be if the country you served scrambled fighters against you? I know I sure would." Luna sighed.

Youlan fitted the welding mask to his head. Before flipping it down, he spoke to them. "In any case, we did some repairs to your suits. You might want to check them out, and see if there's anything we missed. Especially yours, Adam. You know Falcon better than any of us."

"Yeah. I'll get right on it." Adam went up the elevator to the access point to board the Falcon. Shinn was already there, booting up Core Splendor. "Hey."

"Hey." Shinn said as he was testing his systems.

"Finally find that magazine you were looking for?"

"Yeah, of course." He took a glance at Savior and hissed.

Adam blinked, but shrugged after a little while. "I guess I'll leave you to your work. I gotta check up on Falcon myself."

"Yeah. Bye." He hopped down from his ship and went over to the edge and called down to the two mechanics working on the Flyer. "Hey guys, did you recalibrate the navigational controls on Core Splendor today?"

"We sure did, why?" The tuft called back up to him.

"You forgot to calibrate the stick in the process. It's too loose for my tastes."

"We'll get someone on that right away, Shinn. We still have the data from the calibration, so it shouldn't be too hard to fix."

Ray leaned back against a wall, drink in hand, and looked up at the new unit contemplatively.

Luna entered and emerged from her cockpit. "Hey, Youlan!"

The darker-skinned boy slid out from under the Flyer. "What!"

"My left hand panel lights keep going in and out, like there's a loose connection. Think you can take care of that?"

"Sure. I'll take a look at it after I'm done with this!"

"Thanks!" Luna came down from her unit.

Adam booted up the operating system and flipped three switches to his left. "Let's see what they did."

As he went through the diagnostics, Meyrin popped up on his communications screen. "Adam, got a second?"

"Meyrin? Hold on." He flipped the cockpit closed. "Okay, what's up?"

"You didn't have to go that far, Adam. It's nothing private."

"Can't be too safe. So what's new?"

"The mechanics boys and I are going to meet in the lounge in an hour and hang. You want to join us?"

"Sure. I'll be there. Thanks for the invite."

"No problem. See you then." She winked and closed the communication.

Adam opened up the cockpit and dismounted. "Hey guys!" He called down to the mechanics.

"What is it this time?" The tufted mechanic looked up at him.

"You did a great job. If anything, she feels better than my first flight with her."

"Hey thanks man!" He flashed a thumbs up.

"On a side note, did you guys get the Phase Shift armor on the new legs to match the rest of Falcon? I didn't have time to get the frequencies to match in the battle, and it was wasting power."

"We forgot all about the legs. We'll make that a top priority." Youlan slid out from under the silhouette and sat up.

A phone rang in a cubby hole on Adam's level. The tufted boy yelled up to him. "Pick it up, that's the chief. He wants to talk with you."

Adam picked up the phone. "Moshi moshi."

"Thanks for bringing that to our attention Adam. We've basically treated your unit like Core Splendor until now. We'll get on it as soon as possible."

"Thanks Chief. Any idea how long it will take?"

"Well we'll be devoting all our manpower too it, so we'll have to finish everyone else's repairs first. We'll start up right after break in about two hours. An hour, maybe two is all it will take. It would be easier if you could get her into mobile suit form first before we work on her. Call the bridge from this phone and ask for permission to launch, transform, and re-dock."

"Got it. Thanks again." Adam hung up, picked it up again, and dialed the bridge extension.

"Bridge."

"Hey Meyrin, sorry to bug you, but could you schedule me for a launch and re-dock after our break hanging out? The mechanics have a few things they still need to fix and they need it in robot mode."

"No problem Adam. I'll get the captain's permission and schedule it."

Athrun was about to leave after the rest of the meeting was over, but he turned around at the door. "Um, pardon me." The other two in the room looked at him quizzically. "Do you know what happened in ORB, captain? I haven't been able to find out much of anything."

"Oh." She responded. "It's in quite the uproar isn't it? Something about the Representative being kidnapped, or something to that extent. ORB is engaging in quite the coverup, but there are rumors that the ones that took her are Freedom and the Archangel."

Athrun gasped as he went rigid. "K…Kira!" He whispered.

"What is going on in ORB? I'd like to know that myself."

Athrun composed himself and bowed. "Arigato gozaimasu." He left, and let the door close behind him before he let out a heavy sigh.

"What! Seriously!" The tufted mechanic asked. Meyrin nodded as she clutched her drink.

"Hey guys. Sorry I'm late." Adam came in and walked to the vending machine. "I was surfing the net and I wiped out." After getting his drink, he turned around. "So what were you guys talking about? I wasn't sneezing, so it wasn't about me."

"I'm just still in disbelief. The captain has really, really been appointed to the genuine, honest to God, FAITH, too?"

"Again with this FAITH stuff?" Adam sat down on a couch.

"Yeah. It's not out yet officially, but the Executive Officer told me straight up. He was really happy." Meyrin put an arm over her chair.

"Cool!" The tufted one turned to his jumpsuited co-worker.

Youlan just looked at him and asked "It doesn't really effect the XO does it?"

"Huh? Not the XO?" He turned to Adam. "Then what about us?"

Adam shrugged. "I have no clue. You tell me."

"It doesn't effect us either. Don't you know that FAITH is something that you're appointed to?" Youlan put a hand in his pocket.

"Huh?" The confused mechanic looked at him again.

"Why don't you know that anyway?" Youlan rolled his eyes.

"Hey, I know! I just needed a reminder is all. Heh heh."

"Um, pardon." Adam raised his hand. "There are some of us present that have no idea what FAITH even is."

"Oh yeah. Only those with great war records and certain character qualifications, who have been recognized by the Council or the Chairman, can be a part of FAITH. They have authority above squadron commanders, and if needed they can even give strategic and executive orders."

"Wow!" Adam said.

"They're the top elite, and report directly to the Council or Chairman. They wouldn't have anything to do with you." He pointed towards his fellow mechanic.

"It wouldn't effect you either, Youlan!"

"That's what I'm trying to say!"

Meyrin was deep in thought. Adam noticed and passed his hand over her eyes. "Helloooooo? Earth to Meyrin, anyone in there?"

"Top elite…wow."

Adam folded his arms and huffed. "Quit your fantasizing, Meyrin. It'll never work."

She went rigid and blushed. "Wh…wh…what are you talking about!"

Adam waggled a finger at her. "He's too old for you. Besides, isn't he engaged to Lacus Clyne?"

"Who is?"

"Athrun! You've been daydreaming ever since Youlan started explaining how great being in FAITH is."

"I was not!"

"Was too."

"Was not!"

"Was too."

"Was not!"

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

"Ha, you admitted it." Adam said as he beeped her on the nose. "Gotta make like a banana and split. See you later guys!" Adam said as he ran out the door.

Meyrin was still stunned. "I…but he…and then…ooooooohhh!" She pouted.

Adam walked onto the access platform to Falcon. Youlan handed him his helmet. "Why are you in full flight suit? You're only taking her out to transform her."

"No. I'll be doing a little more than that. I want to test out the calibrations you made." He slid the helmet on and sealed it at his neck. "It'll also give me a chance to get a better feel for her." Adam gave a thumbs up.

"Fine, fine. I get it now. Have fun, but don't forget to keep the weapons on safety, okay?" Youlan stepped off the platform.

"Don't worry." He jumped into the cockpit. "I'll be back before you know it, and you'll be able to fix those legs." The hatch closed and sealed on him. "Okay, let's start you up." He hit the main power switch, the OS booted up, and he started up the engines. He fired up his communications screen. "Bridge, are you receiving me?"

Meyrin popped up, still pouting. "That was a cruel trick, Adam. You embarrassed me in front of my friends."

"C'mon, don't be that way. You're on duty after all. If you want to take a swing at me when you and I are off, feel free. Right now, your job is what matters."

"Hai." She said, still grumpy.

"You know you're really cute when you pout like that."

"Shut up! You're on duty too you know!"

"Suman suman. Could you just bring the Central Catapult online?"

"Yeah yeah." She took a breath. "Maintenance crew clear the Central Catapult. Closing central shutter. Central Catapult online. Platform moving into liftoff position. All systems online." Falcon lifted to the runway. "Hatch opening. Catapult system engaging." Green lines lit up all along the runway path. "Path is clear. Dozo!"

The boy flipped his visor down. "Adam Cancho, Falcon, kissing the sky!" He hit the throttle and headed out, doing a loop the moment he was steadily airborne. "Yeehoo! What did they do to her? This is awesome!" Falcon double barrel rolled left, and did a forced 90 degree turn. "Aw man! That's just beautiful. I've gotta get a copy of the flight recorder on DVD so I can watch that again. Or better yet, how about I do it again?" Adam, once again, forced a full corner turn. "That's almost addicting. But let's see how you handle an Immeleman, Falcon!" Adam cranked straight up and did a loose Immeleman Turn. At the end of the turn, Adam decided to switch to mobile suit form.

The leg hatch opened and the robotic legs extended. The wings tilted back as the cockpit receded and changed orientation. The Vulcan cannons retracted and the entire nose popped off. The nose split into two parts and attached as shoulder shields. A blaster slid into its right hand and a shield slid onto the left. "Even the transformation seems a bit smoother. They must have completely overhauled the OS." With a few button presses, Meyrin popped up on the communication screen. "Meyrin, I'm ready to come home. Please open the docking bay."

"Yokhai." She said as the catapult doors opened. "Maintenance crews prepare for docking procedures. Falcon, the Cancho Unit, is approaching. Adam, you're cleared to land."

"Thank you." He said as he decreased speed, and pulled up. His mobile suit took three steps to stabilize itself on landing.

The chief was looking up at the mobile suit above him, and Adam turned on the external microphone as he zoomed in on the chief's face. "Three steps? Try to make it in two next time. In any case, step onto that catapult launcher. The clamps will take Falcon to the stall where we'll work on her."

"Yokhai." Adam acknowledged. He turned around and backed onto the two steps attached to the large electromagnetic catapult. Two clamps fit around the shoulders and attached with magnets to the armor, padded by rubber. Once secure, the clamps lifted him up a few feet and slid him into the main hangar. Once in an empty stall, Falcon was put down.

The chief called up to him. "Just stay in there for a little longer, Kid. We'll wheel you over a descent platform."

"Will do, Chief."

"Please don't ignore me like that." Lunamaria's annoyed voice was picked up by the microphones.

"Huh?" Adam said as he sat up. On his left monitor, Athrun was on a descent platform and Luna jumped on it with him just before it rose to the Savior's cockpit. "Oh this should be good." Adam opened up the cockpit and leaned out, secretly watching the two.

Athrun was completely taken aback at her actions, and the lack of personal space. That platform was only made for one. Luna looked up at him as he said. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around all that's happened."

"And aiming pistols at peoples' foreheads." Adam rubbed his as he took his yellow helmet off.

Athrun had jumped into his seat quickly, and Luna was left to sit on the outside, looking in as he did his maintenance check. Although Luna wouldn't exactly quit. "Was it really such a shock, you know, about Athha's wedding?"

Athrun slammed his back against the seat and Adam fell over outright. "Of course it was. You saw our reactions. Geez, how ditzy can you get?" The orange haired boy sat up again.

Athrun stuttered some incomplete answer and Luna just continued. "But all it was was a political marriage, right?" She turned to the outside contemplatively and Adam slipped back into the cockpit so she wouldn't see him. "I guess she had no other choice…" She turned back to Athrun. "If it was me, I'd never do it!"

The now depressed Athrun sighed. "Um, why are you here again? Don't you have something to do?" He said as he played with a few buttons.

Not taking it as a cue to bug off, Luna continued as Adam popped his head out again. "Oh! I'm a Zaku Warrior pilot, Lunamaria. Lunamaria Hawke." Without warning she was inside the cockpit, looking over the controls from above. "This is the newest unit right? I heard it has a transformation toggle."

"Uh, yeah." Athrun was completely at a loss for words with this weird girl.

Luna's pink skirt was the only thing left outside of the cockpit. Adam decided to capitalize on this opportunity. He climbed out onto the cockpit boarding step and called out. "Hey Luna, sit down would you? Unless you like flashing your ass to everyone in the hangar!"

Normally Luna would have been rather peeved at this if she wasn't busy talking some more, rather loudly. "Wow! I knew it! It's totally different from a Zaku." She moved her face into within a hand's distance of Athrun's as he tried to remain stoic. "Is it like the Impulse? Or maybe Chaos?"

Athrun tried a tactic to get her off of his back. "Would you like to see from my view?"

"Really!" She pressed even farther forward and Athrun pressed himself back into his seat again.

"Yeah, just don't move it okay?" The blue haired teen stated as he and Luna started to switch places.

Shinn walked along the platform at the edge of the hangar. He stopped as he saw Adam watching the other two. "Hey, how'd the test run go?"

"I know that!" Lunamaria said.

"Oh, hey Shinn, it was beautiful. She handled perfectly." Adam waved to his friend as the platform was finally brought to him.

"Wow! The mode selector panel is different after all!" Luna raved from inside the cockpit.

Athrun saw Shinn there and made eye contact with the glaring boy. Shinn called to Adam. "Tell me about it some other time." He shot a visual dagger at Athrun before he left.

"Ah! This is a new plug-in isn't it?" Luna continued her annoyance.

"Hey, what's with you today, man!" Adam asked a retreating Shinn as he started being lowered to the ground.

"Ah…unh." Athrun was in a monotone as he answered the girl.

"Hey, cmon. Don't be like that, Shinn. Shinn!" Adam said as he ran after the boy.

On the bridge, Arthur and Talia were discussing orders. "They want us to leave tomorrow morning?"

"Yes." The captain said. "The Chairman sent orders to Carpentaria too. They'll send a Vosgulov-class submarine with us. Please relay that to the ship."

"Yes ma'am!"

Meyrin was completely oblivious, as she looked at her computer screen, checking Athrun's file.

"And don't forget about preparations."

"No ma'am, I won't forget!"

On the flagship of the EAF, John Paul Jones, close to Carpentaria, a blonde girl hung her legs off of the ship, entranced as she looked forward, her purple eyes staring intently at nothing.

Two EAF officers came outside. "I'm telling you, that store is the best for THOSE kinds of things."

"Come on, that's not true!" The other said.

Both stopped when they saw the girl. "Huh? Who's this?" He approached her.

"Hey, don't. Don't you know who she is?"

"What are you doing out here? Hey."

"The ocean…" she replied, "It's so…beautiful to watch."

"Huh?" The officer said as he looked out towards the ocean, not really getting it.

A sky-blue haired boy came walking out slowly as the second officer started pleading. "Come on, stop this, man!" The boy got a sly look on his face.

"You sure are a weird girl, aren't you? Why don't you come with me and have a little fun for a while? You might like it more than the ocean." The first man said as he grabbed her behind the back with an evil smirk.

The boy ran forward, jumped onto and over the second man's back, and whipped around the original officer pointing a gun to his neck. "I'd stop that if I were you. We're from the 81st Independent Mobile Unit. Stellar may look out of it right now, but she's scary when angry. The change is almost magical." Auel said.

"L…let go of me!" The man who would be rapist begged. Auel let go and both men took off like jets away from them.

"Heh." Auel said as he put away his pistol. "Are you going to stay like that forever, Stellar?" The girl made eye contact with him. "We're being summoned, by Neo." He headed back to the ship. When the name registered in her brain, she became instantly happy and ran after her comrade. "In other words, we're back to the war again."

"Yeah."

"It's our job after all."

"Yeah."

"I wonder how many kills we'll get this time around!"

"Yeah!"

Adam flopped onto his bed and sighed. "Leaving already? I thought we'd have at least two more days of R and R."

"We're a battleship after all, Adam. It's what we do." Shinn flipped his phone shut again.

"Yeah, I know, I know. But the crew seems so disappointed that we're not going back into space."

"Of course, they're all from PLANT, unlike us. We were born down here, on Earth."

"Then why are you never happy down here?" Adam said. The boy didn't say a thing as he turned over. "Sorry."

"So your test run did well?"

"Quite well in fact. She's twice as good as she was when I first flew her."

"What about the Phase Shift problem?"

"Finished that too, nice shade of brown with blue trim again." Adam smiled as he closed his eyes. "I took her out and sent her back in in jet mode. They mounted her back onto the Central Catapult."

"That's good to know. Good night, Adam. We'll be launching tomorrow, so try to wake up on time."

"Right…zzzzzzzzz." He instantly fell asleep.

"Heh. What a guy." Shinn put the phone on the dresser and fell asleep himself.

"Look out." Adam muttered in his sleep. He tossed as if something had given him an electric shock. "Tousan, Kaasan…no, no, NO!" He sat up in bed, once again awake in the middle of the night. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he tried to stop shivering. "That was the worst so far. Why am I crying? Was it that bad that I have tears?" Nothing answered him as he calmed down. "Dammit. I'll have to talk to the infirmary about sleep medications if this keeps up." He forced himself back to sleep.

Shinn looked at him out of the corner of his eye. He pulled a small medicine bottle out of his drawer. "It doesn't help. They don't do shit!" Shinn flung the bottle across the room. It hit the wall and fell into the trash can below.

The next morning, the Minerva watched a green submarine class ship leave port. The crew on shore saluted the crew on the ship and vice versa. As it pulled away, one of the bridge crew of Minerva spoke. "The Nyiragongo has launched."

"Then we'll be on our way too." Gladys began her orders. "Minerva, hashin. Bizoku zenshin."

"Minerva, launching. Ahead, slow!" The helm broadcast to everywhere on the ship, including in the lounge, where Adam was sipping his soda in his yellow flight suit. As Athrun entered in his purple flight suit, he took notice of Shinn, lying on his back, looking up from his new magazine, with High and Mighty Color on the front of it.

Athrun ignored him and walked to the window while Shinn put the magazine to his face again. Adam took a large slurp if his drink. 'The enmity in here is so thick you could cut it with a knife.' He thought.

Athrun sighed. 'If Kira is with her, then Cagalli should be alright. In any case, they can't go back to ORB.' Shinn took another quick glance at the thoughtful teen.

Carpentaria wasn't the only place that was monitoring the Minerva's departure. An EAF satellite broadcast information to the John Paul Jones. Neo stood watching that screen. "So there you are. I've finally found you…little kitty."

Chapter 5 Preview: The battle returns to the Minerva, a familiar sight to all but one. How will he fair in his first true fight? What is it all for? To protect something? To gain something? Beyond the blasts and swords they swing, what will the two young pilots see, and what will Athrun offer? Next time on Old Friends Anew: The Oceanic Battlefront. Spread your virgin wings, Falcon!


	5. Old Friends Anew Ch 5

Old Friends Anew

Phase-5: The Oceanic Battlefront

"Are you mad! You want us to sortie every single Windam we have on this base! You're talking nonsense!" A general yelled into the phone, his aides cringing at his voice. His office was on an island, where the EAF Indian Ocean Frontline Base was located. The "Frontline" was aptly named, because they were so close to ZAFT's Carpentaria.

Neo answered the other end of the phone. "Who's the one talking nonsense? We're up against a Vosgulov and the Minerva. You saw the data from the fleet's battle with them at ORB, right? We don't even know if we can defeat them."

"That's not what I'm trying to say! We were assigned here to build a base for the battle against Carpentaria, and it is still under construction! You're telling us to abandon our duty and send out our mobile suits!"

"Everything in that base is to be used to beat ZAFT! So give us the units and beat them, now! If it makes you feel at ease, I'll leave Gaia to guard the base."

"But, you don't…."

"That's an order! Do it!" Neo slammed the phone down.

"Damn you, Phantom Pain!"

"Hey guys, do you know of any good TV stations around here?" Adam asked. He had long finished his drink and was getting really bored.

"I don't watch TV. There's just junk about this damn war all the time." Shinn flipped to another page in his magazine. "Now music is another story."

"Zala-san? How about you?" Adam looked to his fellow pilot.

"It's Athrun, and I wouldn't know. I only watched the ORB broadcasts. The global channels are entirely different." The blue haired boy smiled as he turned to the newcomer.

"Come to think of it, do we even get TV on this ship? I haven't seen a single viewscreen since I got here."

"Due to wartime regulations, any broadcasting and receiving instrument must be encrypted. Television would not be able to get through, so the answer would be no. If it were peacetime, that restriction would be lifted." Athrun turned back to the window.

"I don't get it. Why the encryption?"

"Because someone could track us, moron!" Shinn shot a look at his friend.

"Sheesh. Sor-reeee. No need to get all constipated." Adam pouted.

"That would explain what happened to the three bean casserole at dinner last night." Athrun coughed.

Adam's jaw dropped in disbelief. THE Athrun Zala made a joke. He chuckled. "That's a good one." Athrun started to chuckle as well.

Shinn put his magazine on his chest. "Hey cut that out! It was only two bean anyway." He realized what he had said and put his magazine on top of his face. "Sometimes I should just keep my big mouth shut."

"Especially when it's bean casserole day." Adam pointed to the sulking boy.

Athrun sputtered and started laughing. Adam was already to that point. Shinn sighed under his magazine, and he took it off. "Okay, you got me on that one."

As the preparations continued the three EAF Gundam pilots gathered in their flight suits at the loading dock. Stellar held her pink-gloved hands in front of her. "You guys are lucky. I'm the only one that's not going."

"It can't really be helped. Gaia can't swim." Auel sighed.

"And with the beating Gaia took at the hands of that new unit of theirs, she can't fly either." Sting patted her on the head.

"But your units got repaired." She wimpered.

"We were lucky. They had the resources to remake the parts for our units, but they didn't have the stuff to make a strong thruster pack for you." Auel looked at his unit.

"Just be a good girl and watch the ocean, okay? I know you like that." Sting spoke softly to her.

As she nodded her head in acknowledgement, a door behind them slid open, and Neo stepped onto the platform. "I'm also not too happy about not being able to sortie with you either, Stellar." She let out a happy squeal at his presence and ran up to him. "But you know that some things can't be helped. I doubt anything bad will happen, but if it does, I'm counting on you, okay? Especially since our ship is being repaired." He stroked her hair, as she let out a saddened tone acknowledging him.

The four of them walked down the boarding platform.

After the joke, everyone went back to being silent. To Adam, who constantly tried to keep busy for an entire year, didn't like it. He whipped a deck of cards. "Wanna play a game? Crazy 8's? Old Maid? War?"

"No thanks." Shinn never took his eyes off of magazine.

"I decline." Athrun said, still looking at the window.

"Fine. I'll play some solitaire." He started dealing and sighed. "Someone mind telling me why we're even here? I mean, why are we just sitting here doing nothing in our flight suits?"

"We're on call, Adam." Shinn dog-eared a page and flipped the magazine shut. "We're in dangerous waters, and if anything happens, we sortie first. Simple as that."

"That makes sense, but you'd think that they'd give us something to do other than this. I mean, this is so boring!"

"Boring or no, it's an important duty. Being the first line of defense means that until backup arrives, we're on our own. Don't take it lightly." Athrun turned around again.

Adam grumbled, "Hmph, I wish something would happen. Wouldn't be so boring then."

Shinn popped up behind him and hit him in the back of the head. Adam's head hit the table and disturbed his cards. "Baka! Don't ever say that! Especially when you've never been in battle before!"

"But…"

"But nothing!" Athrun marched up to him, "This isn't some kind of game! This is war! There's no reset button! You screw up you'll either end up in heaven or hell!"

"Okay, okay! I won't! I'm sorry!" He sighed as the others lowered their fists and closed their mouths. Adam picked up the pack of cards. "How about Beat-Your-Neighbor?" The other two just huffed and returned to their original positions. "Oh well, back to Solitaire again."

On the John Paul Jones, the PA echoes throughout the ship. "X24S, Chaos, prepare for launch." Two mobile suit launching platforms opened on the starboard side, and Chaos and Abyss were put into position.

The green haired boy finished his preparations. "Sting Oakley, Chaos, hashin salu!" Chaos initiated its Phase Shift armor and took to the skies.

The blue haired boy finished his checklist. "Auel Neider, Abyss, deluyo." Abyss started up its Phase Shift armor and jumped. It turned into submarine mode before it hit the water.

All the blue and white Windam mobile suits, specifically made for aerial combat, took off from the EAF base. Stellar watched them go as she sat in Gaia from a rock on shore. Lastly, a custom purple and green Windam emerged from the JP Jones. Its pilot was the man in the mask. "I'd be quite happy if we ended this today." He thought back to his battles with the White Zaku and its pilot, who he could sense, and vice versa. "Neo Lorrnoke, Windam, deluzo!" He took to the skies and joined the formation.

"Seven."

"Two."

"King."

"Ah-ha! Doubt it!" Adam smiled. He flipped over the card that Athrun had thrown down. It was a king. "Doh!" He sighed as he was given the entire pile by the other two.

"You suck at this game." Shinn laughed.

Alarms started blaring. Meyrin's voice came over the PA. "Condition Red alert. Condition Red alert. All pilots stand by in their units."

"No way. We're under attack?" Adam looked up. He soon found himself hit by the other pilots' cards. "Hey!"

"I told you you shouldn't have said anything." Shinn started running towards the hangar. "Come on! We're heading out!"

"Right behind you! Right, Athrun-san?" He said at the door.

Athrun was working the video screen. "Meyrin, put me through to the captain right now! Adam, get to your ship."

"Hai!" He ran out of the room and followed the black haired boy.

He heard the commotion from the bridge through Meyrin's headset.

"Checking heat signature. They're Windams. Approximately 30." One of the bridge crew on the radar screen confirmed.

Talia was stunned. "Thirty!"

"What? The Chaos is with them!"

"It's from them? I didn't think that they'd be able to attack with all the damage they sustained. And 30? A battleship of that size can't hold 30 mobile suits. Where are they coming from? Do you see Bogey-1?"

"No ma'am. Nothing."

Arthur took a step back. "Could they be using that Mirage Colloid stealth system again?"

"That would be impossible in the ocean, Arthur. We need to think about other things anyway. Shield the bridge and prepare for anti-mobile suit combat. Get the Nyiragongo on the communications line."

"Captain, Athrun is requesting you. I'm putting him through." Meyrin said after the bridge stopped moving.

His face popped up on the internal communications screen. "Captain, is it the EAF?"

"Looks that way. We've fallen into another ambush. That's the third time. It sure is rough being popular. We can't evade them now, in any case. Combat is unavoidable. What about you?" Athrun looked up in surprise. "I can't give you orders since we're the same rank."

A determined smile came across his face. "I'll go and sign a few autographs."

"Are you sure?"

"I may not be under your command, but I am still a crew member. We cannot dodge this battle, so I may as well lend a hand."

She was content with that answer. "In that case, I'd like to give command over to you when the mobile suits launch."

Athrun nodded. "I understand." The transmission ended.

Meyrin's voice echoed through the hangar as Adam and Shinn ran to their units. "Impulse, Savoir, Falcon, you are to launch immediately. Zakus please stand by for more orders." Shinn gave Adam a thumbs up as he shut the cockpit of Core Splendor. He did the same back before he climbed into Falcon and shut it. Athrun was lifted up to his Gundam. "Force Silhouette platform set in Central Catapult. Closing airtight shutter. Emergency personnel on standby. Central Catapult, online. Proceeding to liftoff position."

"Falcon's systems confirmed online. Prepare for launch." Meyrin continued over the radio as Adam pressed buttons and ran through his launch checklist. After everything looked good, he grabbed the stick and waited.

"X23S, Savior, Athrun's unit, prepare for launch." She said as the clamps moved the giant robot. "All systems have been confirmed online." Athrun went through his checklist and scanned everything with his eyes. Once the Gundam was in the catapult, Meyrin continued. "Closing airtight shutter. Catapult on standby."

On Adam's communications screens popped up Shinn and Athrun. The same went for the other two pilots. Athrun spoke up. "Shinn Asuka, Adam Cancho."

"Hai?" Shinn asked after checking his wing.

"Nani?" Adam responded.

"Command of this mission has been given to me once we've launched. You get that?" Athrun said authoritatively.

Shinn did a quiet "Eeehhh?" in disbelief, but then made a dissatisfied "Hai."

"Yokhai. Glad to have you." Adam gave a thumbs up. Both windows shut down.

It was finally time. Meyrin came on again. "Eject system engaged. Catapult thrust is nominal. Course is clear." A buzzer sounded as Falcon's platform hit the top. A wall slid up behind the engines for more thrust to get off. Green lights lit up along the path. "Falcon, hashin, dozo!"

Adam increased the throttle and his engines lit up. The final checklist board on the right went extremely quickly. Throttle: Clear. Brakes: Clear. Catapult: Clear. Abort: Launch. "Adam Cancho, Falcon, kissing the sky!" He released the brakes and rocketed his way out of the catapult. He started to pull into a loop the moment he was out.

"Continuing." Meyrin…well…continued. "Eject system engaged. Catapult thrust is good and the course is clear." The smaller jet was at the launch gate. "Core Splendor, hashin, dozo!"

Shinn's hand jammed the throttle forward. "Shinn Asuka, Core Splendor, ikimas!" A quick release from the brakes and he was out of there. Adam flipped over in his loop and came back around looking down at Shinn, waving. "What are you doing?"

"Want to do that thing we did when we transformed the first time?" Adam asked.

"Sure. Just wait until the rest of me gets here. Break and roll now." They split their separate ways.

The next platform was up. "Chest Flyer, ejecting. Dozo!" Out went the head, arms, shield, and gun. "Leg Flyer, eject. Dozo!" Out went the legs. "Silhouette Flyer eject, dozo!" The automated machine revved its engines and launched, unfolding its wings the moment it was clear of the tunnel.

Savior was put onto the Linear Catapult. "Opening starboard hatch. Savior, hashin. Dozo!"

"Athrun Zala, Savior, hashin salu!" Sparks flew as the catapult shot out. The umbilical cable was pulled out and Savior was airborne, its red Phase Shift armor shimmering.

Seeing that all his parts arrived, Shinn called Adam. "Ready?"

"Oh yeah! Going vertical!" Adam and Shinn's jets pulled straight up adjacent to each other. Both of them said at the same time "Let's begin."

Core Splendor ejected its pods as the nose and cockpit folded down and the wings folded in. Two laser sights guided the Leg Flyer to it and they linked together. The gray legs extended from their folded position. Falcon's underside hatch opened as the cockpit receded into the center of the machine. The legs extended from their hidden spot as the hatch doors turned to become hip guards. The Chest Flyer decelerated as the laser markers lit up. The combination Core Splendor and Leg Flyer coupled with it. The arms spread out, revealing the torso and head of the Gundam. Falcon's wings flipped to its back and the arms extended from the space where they were once before. The vulcan cannons receded as the nose popped off, revealing Falcon's head. Shinn spread Impulse's arms as it hovered. The Silhouette Flyer lost its cockpit portion and the laser sights lit up again. The Force Silhouette pack linked up to the back of the mechanical monstrosity. The nose of Falcon split in two and sealed themselves to the robot to create shoulder guards. The shield slid into its left hand, and the blaster slipped into the left. Lastly, the wings split from two into four. Both spun in midair, back to back, as their Phase Shift armor shimmered into being, Impulse's blue, and Falcon's brown. Their shields opened up and they posed their blasters in opposite direction.

Athrun looked up. "Well, they have style at least."

"Preperations complete." Both said at the same time.

Shinn smiled. "You're getting good at this."

"Likewise. Shall we?"

"Of course. Just try not to get shot down."

"Heh. Same to you. Let's fly!" The three Gundams went to meet the enemy.

Back in the Minerva, the bridge crew watched the approaching mobile suits. Arthur started the weapons system activation. "CIWS…," The countermeasure machine guns opened up. "Tristan…," The two double-beam cannons emerged and calibrated. "Isolde…," The three projectile cannons emerged from a section of the armor that raised up. "Launcher's 1 and 2, load Parsifal atmospheric missiles!"

Talia gritted her teeth. 'Fly well, pilots.' She thought as she looked at the backs of their mobile suits.

As the Gundams approached, they were detected on radar by the squadron of ships. Sting saw the three dots on his screen, one was labled unknown. "Huh? What unit is that?"

Neo was typing away and attempting to scan the unit. "So they have another new toy. Could it be from Carpentaria? ZAFT is pulling a lot of tricks aren't they?"

Sting scoffed. "Heh, that little thing's going down." He hit the throttle and aimed towards the new unit.

"Hey, Sting, hold up." Neo was ignored. "Oh well, I guess I'll target our old friends down there. All units break and attack!"

A Windam took a pot shot at the Impulse and Falcon as it passed them. They split left and right, and Shinn shot it in the back. "Woah, nice shot." Adam smirked.

Soon they were in the thick of things. Adam shot a wing out with his blaster while Shinn hissed and engaged his targeting visor. "It's annoying that there are so many of them."

Adam shot one in the chest. "That's one more down!" He flipped over as two more Windams tried to catch him in a crossfire. During the flip, he fired his orange buster beam into one. Shinn shot one through the cockpit, vaporizing the pilot.

Sting was itching for a fight as he closed in on Athrun. "Hey, you there! Let's see what kind of power you have, newcomer!" He fired his blaster from Chaos's right hand and the Vulcan cannons in his left hand shield at Savior.

Athrun ducked into a cloud and spun into jet mode. He quickly flew past Sting and pulled above him. He started firing his green blasters and his red and blue busters as he descended on the stolen unit.

Sting blocked the blasters with his shield as he dodged the busters. "This guy…geez."

Shinn shot down two more as he grunted. Adam spun into jet mode and engaged his wingsabers. His blades sliced up two, and a third was at the mercy of his Vulcans. "And they think these guys can take us out." Shinn said as he blocked two blaster hits. Adam took out one of the ones shooting at him before he transformed back into mobile suit.

Neo smiled as he observed. "I see…those two seem to work well together." His purple ship took a shot at Impulse, which he blocked. Neo flew into a cloud as Shinn returned fire. From behind the cloud Neo took another shot, which Impulse barrel rolled to avoid.

Adam tried to take a shot at the Windam as it emerged from the clouds, but Neo dodged and took two shots at Falcon, one of which needed to be deflected with his shield. "Damn it!" He flew down to Shinn's level.

"What's with this guy?" Shinn asked.

"Dunno, but he's fast."

"Adam, flank him."

"Yokhai!" Adam broke off as Shinn tried to take three shots at Neo, none connecting. As Neo flew into another cloud, Adam fired a shot, only to have one returned at him, which he sidestepped.

Neo emerged from the clouds, charging ahead. "I wouldn't get cocky if I were you, my little ZAFT Aces." Impulse flew past him and dodged the shots aimed at him. Neo turned to follow. "Make yourselves useful and corner him!" Four other Windams joined him in formation.

"Like I'll let you!" Adam cried as he rose up from a cloud, drawing a beam saber and slicing up one of the blue Windams. As the other turned to shoot him, Falcon fired its orange buster into him before ascending.

"He's not bad either!" Neo hissed.

Seven Windams surrounded Shinn from all sides as he spun around, dodging fire each time. "Shit!" He said, gritting his teeth and looking around.

Adam was caught up in his own fight, deflecting one of the beams into another Windam as he used the other hand to shoot a third down. "Did I mention that this isn't my day!"

Neo fired three shots as Shinn tried to dodge the others. Shinn took them directly in the shield, rattling his mobile suit. Athrun checked his radar. "Shinn, you're too far away, pull back! Just what are you doing?" Sting lined up another shot and fired. Athrun hissed as he rolled out of the way.

"Heh, complain when you're in my situation." Shinn ignored him and continued firing.

"Shinn!" Athrun protested.

Adam Vulcanized an enemy. "Commander, I'll back him up!" He went to jet mode and sliced into two mobile suits as he went to help his friend.

The weapons on Minerva were getting their money's worth today. The CWIS machine guns were shooting nonstop. Arthur yelled. "Launchers 1 and 2, tei!" Missiles erupted from the side of the ship, taking out three units that were surrounding the ship.

Inside the bridge, the Captain was conversing with the submarine's captain. The man spoke first. "I'm telling you our sensors have detected no ships on or below the surface!"

"Then where do you think they're coming from? Do they have a base nearby?" Gladys asked as Shinn blocked more strikes against him.

"So close to Carpentarian space? There's been nothing to indicate that."

Inside the sub, the radar crewman yelled out. "Sonar detected, number: 1. It's moving fast! It's the…Abyss!" The blue Gundam-sub approached at top speed. Auel chuckled.

"The Abyss!" Captain Gladys was stunned. "Get Ray and Luna down there, underwater combat preparations." She said to Meyrin. "Launch immediately." The girl acknowledged in the affirmative.

The sub launched three GOOhN suits to intercept Abyss as Ray and Luna were moved into the catapult. Ray barked orders. "Screw the beam rifles. Go with bazookas!"

"Underwater combat? I never expected this!" Luna switched her computer controls to adapt.

Chaos launched missiles at Savoir. Athrun hissed as he pulled upwards, and the missiles followed him. He cut his engine output and let the missiles pass him, and he shot them down with Vulcans. "Damn this pest!" Sting snarled. "His moves are so well calculated!"

Shinn took out another two units straight to the cockpit and failed once again to hit Neo's unit. "Damn you!" He cried as he pulled out his beam saber. Impulse charged at the suit as it fired shots, which were quickly avoided.

As Shinn was about to bring down the sword on the Windam, Neo pulled up. "Oopsy!"

"Shinn!" Adam cried as he drove straight for the rising machine with his wingsabers.

Neo saw him coming from the right and blocked with his shield, sending him skidding off. "Double oopsy!"

"Tei!" Adam cried as he shot his buster at the pesky ship.

"Woah!" Neo's Windam dove low to avoid the blast as Adam flipped back into robot mode.

"Eat this!" Shinn said as Neo dropped to the lower level. Shinn aimed at the Windam.

"Huh?" Neo prepared to dodge Shinn's attack as Adam's green beam came down from above, taking a slice off of the back of Neo's shield. Shinn then took his shot, which impacted the shield. Adam was swarmed by Windams again. Neo laughed. "Well met!"

The GOOhNs fired missiles at the approaching ship. Abyss rolled out of the way and jetted onto the correct course. The GOOhN pilots gasped at the speed. Abyss transformed when it got in close and sliced a suit up with its melee weapon. It exploded, and the water burst up from the surface. Auel just laughed. "Sorry, am I too strong for you guys!" Another submersible suit was sliced up.

As Shinn and Adam continued to dodge multiple mobile suits at once, Athrun had the time to see the sea. He transformed back into mobile suit mode. "Minerva! What the hell were those!" He asked as he targeted Chaos, now in Mobile Armor mode. It evaded.

Meyrin was the one who answered. "The GOOhNs of the Nyiragongo are engaging Abyss."

Athrun gasped, partially from the confession, and partially out of frustration from not being able to hit the Chaos. The Captain continued for Meyrin. "But it's alone. We're sending Ray and Lunamaria down right now."

"Ray za Burrel, Zaku, hashin salu!" The white Zaku jumped into the waves.

Luna flipped down her visor. "Lunamaria Hawke, Zaku, deludayo!" Her red Zaku joined her comrade's.

"But can you see the enemy base from up there?" The captain stayed on track. "Can you see anything at all?"

"No, nothing. Not even up here." Athrun responded. "But there are quite a few islands around."

Shinn was right around one such island as three Windams, including Neo's, encircled him. He fired shots at them, none of which hit on target. He decided to follow the purple one. "This one! It's the one I've just gotta take down!" Another Windam fired from his right. Impulse whipped around and caught him in the side, the pilot cried out as another green beam hit the suit in the chest and exploded. A third one, this time from behind, grazed Shinn's shield, it took two direct hits for that one to blow up. A fourth one passed below him, and the third shot got that Windam square in the back.

Adam was getting a few kills himself too. A shot to the chest cavity was all it took for one. He closed up his shield and drew both beam sabers out from the wing casings. He charged an enemy. One sword impacted the Windam's shield and the Gundam flipped the other into a backhand position and stabbed it into the mobile suit. He broke away as it exploded. Another one moved up behind him. "Tei!" Adam sent his behind-the-back buster hurtling towards the unit.

The pilot dodged, but the beam caught the shield and exploded. Adam whipped around and charged the shieldless enemy. "Ah!" The pilot screamed. "Elizabeth!"

Falcon sliced through the mobile suit's cockpit, and it exploded soon after. "Elizabeth?" Adam whispered. He had no time to think as another Windam was lining up a shot at him.

Gaia was standing on the shores watching the explosions in midair. "Neo." Stellar whispered. She transformed her mobile suit into BaCOE mode and galloped in the water along the shore towards the named man.

Abyss fired four torpedoes into the last GOOhN and it was completely annihilated. "So much for that." Auel chuckled, then his proximity alarms blinked behind him.

Ray and Luna closed in. "Why you!" Luna cried. "Never get cocky with us around!" She took a shot at him with the bazooka.

"Come on, you're going to sink me with that!" Abyss went back into submarine and rocketed straight up, then made four sharp turns to charge directly towards the Zaku. "Don't ever underestimate me!" The two Zaku broke away as Abyss charged between them.

Shinn vulcanized a Windam from behind and above, then flipped on his back and blasted another one that was flying above him. Neo hissed. "Shit. You've gotten a lot better. What should I do to get him off my back?"

"Damn that purple one! Hold still!" Shinn growled as he followed him low into the island.

"Neo!" Stellar cried and she drove forward. Neo smiled as he saw the black Gundam jump.

Impulse stopped and turned. "Gaia!" Shinn was tackled by the metallic dog.

Neo came around for another pass. "Shinn!" Athrun called. "Adam, help him out!" He transformed to mobile suit and fired his busters as Chaos barely avoided them. He fired his blaster at the purple unit, making him change his course.

"I'm on the way!" Adam said as Falcon went into a jet again, cutting up another mobile suit in the process.

"Crap, that one's even better!" Neo hissed as he eyed the Savior. Adam closed in and fired his Vulcans. "This is getting very old very quickly!" He barrel rolled out of the way. Savior switched to jet mode again.

Both Impulse and Gaia rose out of the water. "You...!" Stellar started blabbing nonsense again. "You're always getting…in the way!" She dove for him. Shinn pulled out a beam saber and swung it down. Gaia jumped out of the way and transformed to MS mode, and the energy weapon turned the water it impacted into steam.

Sting and Neo joined forces on Savior. "Sting, flank him!" They broke off and Chaos released its pods. They started firing from four different directions.

"Hang on, Athrun!" Adam said as he gripped the stick of his jet hard. He ran past Chaos main as he tried to shoot down one of the pods. Athrun barrel rolled out of the way of the attacks.

"You again!" Sting snarled. "I still have to pay you back from taking out one of my pods!" He went after Adam.

Athrun dodged Neo's attacks. "Shinn, fall back! You're playing into their hands!"

Abyss fired missiles at the Zaku and they both got out of the way as fast as they could, barely squeezing by. Stellar drew her beam saber. "I'll get you. This time for sure!" She charged.

"Shinn! Do what Athrun said!" Adam called as he opened his shield and deflected all four of Sting's beam attacks into his general direction, clipping his ship and pods for minor damage.

"Shut the hell up, both of you! This one's mine!" Shinn yelled as he charged. Stellar dove forward as well. At the last second Gaia jumped out of the way as Impulse swiped down and to the right.

Inside the hidden base, warning sirens were blaring. "Get those tanks out there! Arm the anti-aircraft guns!" Someone yelled. The tanks rolled out as Impulse and Gaia exchanged blows in the trees. Guards left the workers as they prepared to defend their base, and the workers quickly ran to the fence in an attempt to escape. Their wives and children were on the other side of the double fence, with a trench inbetween.

Shinn was assaulted by low caliber bullets from machine guns. "Geez, what now!" He turned towards them and saw the buildings hidden within the trees. "A base? What's one doing here? It must still be under construction." His scanners brought the movement by the fence to the forefront of his vision. "No way! The people here…they've been enslaved!"

Adam dodged and broke away from Chaos and headed straight for Impulse. As he closed in, he passed over the base. "Is this…where they were hiding?" His screen also brought up the civilian escape attempt. "What are they…?" Three soldiers ran into the trench and filled the space with machine gun fire. All the would-be escapees were killed. Most of them were shot in the back. Adam and Shinn both gasped, remembering scenes from the attack on ORB. Adam lowered his head. "Shinn…" He trembled. "You want to do something, right?" The black-haired boy said nothing. "I won't stop you, hell I'll help. This may be war…" The orange-haired pilot raised his head, "But what they're doing is mass murder!" His eyes were in a tearful rage. Shinn nodded and tossed Gaia away.

Chaos's main portion blocked Adam's descent into the fray and fired up at Falcon and Savior. Each of them dodged. "What the hell? Just what are you? Both of you!" Athrun hissed as Savior transformed into mobile suit just in time to dodge another of Neo's blasts.

Abyss fired missiles at the two Zaku once again. One of them hit Luna's shield arm, and she cried out from the blast. As she was blown back, Ray moved out from behind a rock and took a shot. They exploded off of Abyss's shoulder shields.

Athrun tried to fire a shot at Neo, but it was easily dodged again. Two shots grazed him from behind as he whirled around and blasted the last blue Windam. Neo was amazed. "I can't believe they took them out so quickly! This was a bad stage to pick a fight in. JP Jones, meet us at the rendezvous point!" He broke off his attack. "Auel! Sting! Stellar! Fall back! We're done for today."

Sting and Stellar let out disbelieving gasps, while Auel was more vocal. "How come?"

"The Windams we borrowed have been destroyed. All of them. They've also found the base."

"Geez, what were you thinking, bougay?"

"Don't be like that. It's not like you've gotten any worthwhile kills."

"In that case, I'll take care of that now!" Auel leaned forward, disengaging from the fight with Luna and Ray, heading straight for the Nyiragongo. The two Zaku pursued. The JP Jones started to move while Chaos and Gaia pulled out of battle.

"Abyss is closing! Distance: 200!" The radar man called out.

Auel smiled as four of his missiles hurtled towards the submersible. "Full left rudder! Engines to full. Evade it!" The captain bellowed.

"It won't work! We won't make it in time!" The radar man said. The missiles hit their target, as Abyss slid past the ship. Two more missiles fired from the rear right into the center of the sub. It exploded, and the wave knocked Luna and Ray for a loop. Everyone on the bridge of Minerva was aghast at the scene. Auel just laughed hysterically as he pulled out of battle. Athrun gritted his teeth as he flew through the smoke.

"The Nyiragongo was blown to bits!" Shinn was in disbelief. The tanks started attacking him. One of the shots bounced off his armor. "Damn it!" His vulcans blew both of them up. Shinn let out an enraged battlecry. His Vulcans took out the machine guns on the ground as he stomped his way into the base. The explosions vaporized a few EAF officers that were running for shelter. Shinn sliced up a silo, and it exploded.

As Athrun and Adam flew overhead, Shinn used his blaster to destroy everything in his path. "You go, Shinn. I'll watch your back." Adam whispered.

"Shinn! What the hell are you doing? That's enough!" Athrun yelled. "They don't have anything left to fight with!" Shinn ignored him and started heading towards the civilians. "Shinn, you'd better not be thinking…."

Adam smiled. "I see. Great plan, Shinn." He watched as Impulse yanked the two fences full out and dropped them, letting the families reunite again at his feet. He smiled at their happy reunions.

Athrun stayed silent and unreadable at the scene. "All pilots return to ship, this mission is over."

"Yokhai." Adam said as he went towards the Minerva. After waiting for the radio for another confirmation and hearing nothing, he called out. "Hey, Shinn, are you coming."

"Be there in a minute." Shinn called back as he gave some of the kids free rides in Impulse's robotic hands.

Ray pulled his Zaku on deck and walked into the docking position through the starboard catapult. Athrun followed him in. Luna was having trouble, with only one arm to pull her Zaku up with. Adam went to mobile suit mode and landed on the deck. "Need a hand, Lunamaria?"

"If you'd be so kind." She answered back and Falcon's hands gripped the red Zaku and lifted it up to the deck. "Thanks, Adam."

"No problem. I'll see you inside. I have to change back to jet first before I go in." He launched as Luna made her way in. His Gundam returned to its launching form and landed on the flight deck. Impluse came in as the sun started to set.

After all five pilots were out of their units and on the ground, Athrun marched up to Shinn. "Shinn Asuka!" As Shinn turned from talking to a mechanic, a hand swiped across his cheek and the slap echoed throughout the hangar.

"Shinn!" Adam tossed his helmet to the nearest mechanic and started over to him.

Shinn recovered. "I don't care if you feel like beating my brains out, but there was nothing I did wrong." He snarled. "My actions saved those people, and…."

Athrun's hand came down for another strike, but Adam's gloved hand held his wrist fast. "I don't care if you're FAITH. You have no right to hit him. Those people were being enslaved and Shinn set them free."

"Then in that case you can join him!" He elbowed Adam hard in the stomach and flipped him over into the black-haired boy. As they rubbed their injured portions and glowered at the blue-haired commander, he spoke. "What do you think war is about, playing hero? When I give you an order, you follow it! You don't go off on your own! If you have the power, then use it responsibly!"

Athrun walked away as the mechanics helped the two up. Lunamaria looked back and forth between Athrun and them, gripping her helmet tightly.

The captain sighed in her seat at the losses in the battle. The wreckage of the submarine and the Windams were starting to wash ashore as the Minerva was left alone to head on its mission to Suez. Life Goes On.

Chapter 6 Preview: Why go to fight? What's the purpose of fighting? With whom do we fight? Who is "right" when the triggers are pulled? Those are the questions that run through Adam's head, and those that Shinn misunderstands. Who will help them onto the correct track? Next time on Old Friends Anew: The Warrior's Lesson. Bring light to the correct path, Savior!


	6. Old Friends Anew Ch 6

Old Friends Anew

Phase-6: The Warrior's Lesson

"Adam, what's wrong with you?" Youlan asked. "You haven't been acting like yourself lately."

"You haven't known me that long to know what my true self is." The orange haired boy spoke in a near-monotone. He typed something into his pad. "Here are the things I'd like to see done with Falcon today, please see that they get done." He handed the pad to the mechanic.

"Uh…yeah." Youlan looked at it quickly as Adam turned around and started walking away. "Hey, would you like to join us in the…lounge…" He walked out of hearing range. "Dammit."

"Adam still got that stick up his ass?" Youlan's orange-tufted coworker walked up next to him with another pad.

"Yeah. I'm getting worried about him."

"I know what you mean. He hasn't cracked a joke for two days."

"I wonder what happened to him when that battle went on in the Indian Ocean."

Meyrin took off her headset and hat, and hit the ladies room. Once there she started humming. She ran her fingers down her arms slowly, checking for imperfections in her skin. Her pigtail bands were adjusted and she licked a stray hair into place. She winked at herself in the mirror.

Before she decided to get back to work, she checked her profile and frowned. She pressed her hands against her stomach and sighed. "I thought it would be working by now." She pressed in and noticed the give that she had. "Oh well, I guess I'll have another go at it then." She opened up a stall, entered it, and locked it behind her.

Deep down on the floor of the ocean, the crew of the battleship Archangel were watching broadcasts from all around the globe and space via a special satellite mounted on a buoy. One broadcast was quite a surprise:

**Shizukana** _Oh!_ **Kono yoru ni**_ Oh!_** Anata wo **_Oh! _**Matteru no. **_Oh!_

**Ano toki **_Hey! _**Wasureta **_Hey! _**Hohoemi wo**_ Hey!_** Tori ni kite.**_ Hey!_

It was Lacus, singing and dancing up a storm for ZAFT soldiers live-in-concert. And yet, she was sitting right there, in the Archangel, watching the broadcast. Upon a closer look, the Lacus on the screen had a star-shaped hair clip and had a look on her face that was two years younger than the Lacus in the Archangel that had a double feather-like clip in her pink hair. The one onscreen was obviously the double, Mia Campbell.

Half of the bridge crew had shocked looks on their faces, while the other had scowls that would have killed that girl fifteen times over, especially as she spoke. "ZAFT's brave soldiers, let's all do our best for peace for all!" She bounced in her outfit as she waved to the crowd. "Be careful out there, everyone!"

The true Lacus was rather unreadable in her expression. "Well, sounds like everyone's having fun."

"Like you're okay with this? I don't think so." Cagalli turned in her direction. "I don't think we should just leave it at that." Lacus stayed silent, becoming almost blank.

Watfield was swirling a cup of coffee in his hands. "We'd do something about that if we could, but we'd give away our location, and that would be careless. Considering how little we truly know, that would be a very bad move. We don't want the Kingdom of Scandinavia getting in trouble for hiding us just yet."

"Very true, Watfield-san." Kira broke from glaring at the screen.

"But we'll have to make a move at some point, right?" Cagalli looked towards her brother. "I'd love to know what's going on in ORB right now."

"We can't move. We're still too far ignorant to the things around us."

The captain looked down into her coffee, made by the coffee connoisseur himself. "Correct. Junius-7 caused a lot of damage to Earth, but PLANT tried to help out as best it could. The Alliance countries that protested it started a war without reason."

"So what you're saying is, Blue Cosmos is back?" Andrew took a sip of his drink.

"Exactly. But Dullindal, even after the nuclear attack on PLANT, didn't retaliate with vengeance. He calmed everyone and started a minimal defensive war. He didn't seem like a bad person, but…."

"I think he might be a good leader," Cagalli went over to the captain's seat and looked up at the screen. "With this farce though…" The fake Lacus accepted flowers from the ZAFT soldiers, "and that attempt on Lacus's life, I'm not so sure. Athrun believed in him too, and that's why he went to PLANT in the first place."

Kira narrowed his eyes and quickly turned towards her, trying not to snap. "Then who was it that wanted to kill her?" Even with his calm voice, everyone could feel the anger in the room and was taken aback. "And with this, I won't ever trust him. Dullindal."

"Kira." Lacus whispered.

"I won't trust a deceiver."

Ramias sighed. "If he wasn't the cause, then there's no way he wouldn't know about this." She turned away from the screen.

Shinn walked out of his room. "Fine, act like a spoiled little brat!" He yelled at his roommate as the door closed. "Pathetic."

He walked down the hall as Athrun emerged from his room, as he was bunking with Ray now. Shinn gave Athrun a glare that could kill a medium-sized bull elephant. The teen with the blue hair just sighed and smiled as Shinn walked out of sight.

Shinn looked at Adam from a table away in the cafeteria as the boy took his tray up, leaving his lunch half finished. He looked to the person that was sitting across from him: Meyrin, with Luna next to her. "Meyrin, can I ask you a favor?"

"Hmm?" She asked as she picked at her salad.

"Could you find out what's up with Adam?"

"Adam?" She asked as she swallowed. She turned to look at the orange-haired boy.

Shinn spoke to her as the boy walked silently away. "He's been like this for the past two days. I've tried to get it out of him, but he won't listen. Hell, he's even snapped at me a few times."

"Why do you want me to do it?"

"Meyrin" She turned back and they stared into each others eyes, "He's never been like this, ever. He trusts you a lot. In this condition, I'm scared of what he might do. Most certainly, he can't go into battle like this. Please, do this not for me, but him."

Meyrin nodded and turned back to catch a glimpse of Adam before the door shut behind him. "Okay."

Luna crossed her arms. "This coming from the guy that hasn't said a word to his commanding officer in two days?"

Shinn's head landed on the table. "Shut up about that." He raised his head and the red mark on his forehead shone like the afternoon sun. "Meyrin, I'll leave the door to my quarters unlocked, that way you can talk in private. If he locks it, I'll unlock it again for you. Just let me know."

"Unh. Okay." She responded. 'Adam, what really is going on with you?'

Meyrin sighed as she rang the buzzer to the room. No answer. She rang a second time. No answer. She rang a third. "Adam, are you in there? It's me, Meyrin." Another sound of nothingness. "Adam, I'm coming in." She pressed the button and the door slid open.

Adam was sitting on his bed, clutching his knees to his chin. Tears were streaming down his face from his wide, unblinking, unmoving eyes. He mouthed something over and other again, but Meyrin couldn't read lips.

"Oh my God." Meyrin was stunned as she moved closer to him. Then she saw it, one of the knives he had bought was clenched in his right hand. "No!" She shot out at him and grabbed his hands. Her strength rose as she desperately wrenched his fingers from the knife and tossed it into the wall furthest from them, where it stuck. She wrapped her arms around him and put his head on her shoulder. Tears stung her eyes as she cried out. "What were you thinking of doing!"

She sobbed for a few moments, while Adam said nothing, his reaction still the same. He finally whispered something. "Elizabeth."

"What!" Meyrin's tears instantly stopped.

"Elizabeth." Adam's and Meyrin's eyes met as she held him at arms length. "That was what he said."

"What…what are you talking about?" She asked as she dried her eyes. "Who said that? Who's Elizabeth?"

"I don't know. I don't know either of them."

"Then who…."

"One of the Windam pilots cried that out," Adam chuckled under his sob. "Just before I sliced him in half." Meyrin froze and her eyes started to quiver. "Who's Elizabeth? I don't know. Who was that man? I don't know. All I do know is there's a woman named Elizabeth that won't be seeing that man again."

"But Adam, that's all a part of war. You know that right? This thing happens. There are bound to be casualties." She tightened her grip on him.

"Meyrin, how many units did I get? Answer me that."

"When I last saw the boards it was somewhere around ten kills." She quickly bit her tongue, realizing the mistake.

"Yeah, you heard it, didn't you? Kills, Meyrin, kills! That means ten different people's bloods are soaking my hands. How can you even bear to touch me? I'm filthy, I'm dirty. I'm a murderer."

"That's not true! It was in self defense!" The girl held the boy's head into her shoulder. "Just because you killed doesn't mean that you're a murderer. You were protecting yourself from being killed. That has to account for something!"

"Not when it comes to that man. He couldn't even defend himself anymore. His shield was gone, and he had to time to pull out a beam saber. He was dead and he knew it. That's why he cried out." Adam held her closer. "I know what self defense is, but it's still killing! Just like that time in ORB, those two men… that I killed to save myself." His tears reappeared with new fervor.

"Adam." She didn't really know how to comfort him, but she tried the best she could.

"Meyrin, whenever I close my eyes I can see their faces. The broken neck, the bullet hole in the head, and now I have a voice to add to it! Whenever I'm not listening to something else, I hear that scream. I just want to shut it up for good." He stared at the knife in the far wall.

"Adam, forgive me." Meyrin squeezed him for a moment, then reared back and slapped him as hard as she could. "Don't you ever think about that again, do you hear me! Do you think you're the only one that has to put up with the voices? I'm the communications officer! I hear all the radio transmissions. I heard the screams of the dying. I heard every single person on the Nyiragongo as it sank and exploded. What about those people on that ship? They couldn't defend themselves against Abyss. Do you think that that pilot cared? Hell no! He attacked and destroyed them! And I heard every word of it."

"But that's not…."

"The same? That's true, it's not. You're more important than I am. You have a duty to protect like my sister and Ray and Shinn and even Athrun."

"Protect? That's a vague act. What's worth protecting? Why protect it? What are the reasons to protect? How does one protect? No, I don't have anything to protect. My home country is in chaos, I can't go back without being killed, the world hates Coordinators, and I've never been to space. I have nothing."

Meyrin broke. Her tears fell on her hands, and she started to sob uncontrollably. "Adam…."

Adam looked at her in shock. "You're…."

"Every time…I'm up on that bridge…I'm scared to death. Every time we…go into battle…we could get sunk…at any moment. I can't pilot…I can't shoot straight…I can only sit in that seat and handle communications. I love my family…I love my sister…it's just that in that seat…I can't do anything." She looked up at him. "Adam, if you want something to protect, protect me! Protect my sister! Protect Minerva! Protect something! Just don't use that!" She whipped her arm around and pointed to the knife in the wall. "I don't want you to die either. I don't think I could stand it if you did."

"Meyrin…."

"Please don't die. Please don't die. Please don't die!"

Adam went totally rigid. The colors in his vision completely inverted. _'Please don't die. Please don't die. Please don't die! No, no don't. You can't! NOOOO!'_ He started to tremble as his vision returned to normal. "No, no don't. You can't. No." He whispered and clenched his fists. Adam took a deep breath and let it out, stopping his shaking, as he put a hand to Meyrin's cheek. "Meyrin." She looked at him as he wiped away a tear. "Thank you."

"For what?" She still continued to sniff.

"For being my reason…for staying alive."

She started sobbing again. "Adam!" She flung herself on him and he landed flat on his bed. "Thank God. Oh thank God!"

"Hey, Shinn!" Lunamaria caught up with him as he walked down the hall.

"Oh, hey Luna. How's Red doing? Is it repaired yet?"

"They mechanics are reattaching the final connections of the arm as we speak. They said they're going to use mine and Ray's battle data to improve our underwater battling potential, just in case Abyss tries to take another crack at us."

"That's good to hear. I was just about to check on Adam and Meyrin."

"Yeah, I was too. She's been in your quarters for over an hour hasn't she?"

"Yeah. I'm getting worried."

"She missed our target practice session. I didn't think it would take this long."

"Me neither." Shinn said as they stopped at his door. As he reached for the button, his hand twitched suddenly. "What if they're…."

Luna and Shinn exchanged looks. "No way." They both looked to the door, and back to each other. "We barge in on three, okay?" Luna said.

"Okay. One…" Shinn's hand reached for the button.

"Two…"

"Three!" They said at once as Shinn hit the button. They ran into his quarters and yelled out the missing teens names.

Luna's voice caught in her throat and Shinn slapped his forehead and drew his hand down his face. Adam was sound asleep, with the red-pink head on top of him, snoring away. Shinn's red eye caught something amiss on the wall, and turned away quickly to examine it. Luna's voice returned through her teeth as she shook her fist. "This kid isn't going to wake up when I'm through with him!"

"Luna."

"I'm going to tar and feather him…"

"Luna."

"Quarter him…"

"Luna!"

"And play volleyball with his head…"

"Lunamaria Hawke!" Shinn bellowed, amazingly, not disturbing the two sleepers.

"What!" She spun around. Shinn pointed his thumb at the knife in the wall. The purple-red head's eyes went wide. "That means that he..." Shinn nodded. "And she…" He nodded again. "So they didn't..." He shook his head. Luna relaxed. "Thank God."

"Come on. Let's leave them alone." Shinn said as he motioned to the door.

"Yeah." She smiled as Shinn stepped through. Before she followed, she stopped and whispered. "I'm proud of you Mirei. You did well." Then she exited and the door shut behind her.

After a moment of silence, Adam opened an eye. "Clear."

Meyrin opened her eyes and smiled as she sat up. Adam followed. "You make a lumpy bed."

"I'm not lumpy. And what was with all those bones you were poking me with? I swear, your ribcage made imprints on my chest."

"I'm not thin, Adam." The girl blushed. "But thanks for saying that I am."

Adam hugged her. "That was a good prank. You won the bet. Luna was the one that overreacted, and Shinn handled it the best."

"Yay! Now pay up." She said slyly.

"Fine, but only because I have to." He feigned disappointment as he kissed her on the cheek. "There, you happy?"

"Quite." She giggled. "Things are going to be quite interesting around here from now on, wouldn't you say?"

"Hai. We're prince and princess of pranks now. And everyone better be on the lookout."

They laughed together. "Wanna grab a soda, Adam?"

"Sure, let's go to the lounge."

The two pranksters stood up walked to the door. When it slid out of the way, a black haired boy and a red-purple haired girl stood there with their arms crossed. "Prank!" They said in unison.

Adam and Meyrin shared a look. "Oh shit." They said in unison.

"Mahamul guidance beacon has been located and a link established." Meyrin said, back on duty on the bridge.

"Get a fix on it and prepare to dock. By the way, Meyrin, how'd you get that lump on your head?" The captain turned her chair.

"My sister doesn't like pranks as much as I do." She said as she put an ice pack on her head.

The navigator did his duty. "Beacon is fixed, initiating docking sequence." The Minerva silently slid into the ZAFT port under a blue sky.

Athrun entered the hangar to go through his maintenance checks. The chief was talking with Ray. "The sensor frequency band was adjusted like you wanted, but we would like you to make sure it's to your specifications. Have a look." He boarded the platform to head up to White.

Lunamaria was looking onto her maintenance report until she spotted Athrun, whom she ran up to for his opinions on the maintenance crew and their work.

"Yo, guys!" Adam appeared behind the two mechanics and gave them both headlocks. "Get those repairs done?" He grinned as he released them.

"So does this mean you're finally back to normal?" Youlan said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well, as normal as I get." Adam laughed as all three went to the computer maintenance computers.

"So what was the deal?" The orange tufted boy asked.

"I had a few things to sort out. Meyrin gave me a hand. So, anything new happen that I missed?" He leaned inbetween the stations as the two boys began to type away.

The lighter skinned boy on the left spoke first. "The guys in PLANT were really lucky. They got to see Lacus Clyne, live-in-concert. Not since the first war has she done that."

"Ah, I saw a clip of that. Everyone was crowded around the monitors." Adam leaned forward some more and tapped his toe on the ground.

"I wanted to see her in person, too…."

"But her song style has really changed, from back then, hasn't it?" The darker-skinned boy to the right asked. "I think she's better like this. How should I put this? Hmm. Ah! She looks almost younger and cuter than back then."

"I guess you could say that." Adam blew a lock of hair out of his face.

"Did you notice that her clothing style has changed? It's a lot more revealing now." The first boy started to get into the conversation more.

"Keh." Adam licked the lock of hair into place.

"And did you see her boobs? Didn't think they were that big!" Youlan turned to his friends. "I'd like a poster of her in that outfit!"

"Oh yeah, that kind of style is perfect…for a slut." Adam put his chin in his hand.

Secretly a person with blue hair walked up behind them, while smiling slightly. "Where's the Savior's maintenance report?" Athrun said as he walked up. Both the mechanics took a step back and let out a surprised squawk as Adam flipped over the computers and landed on his back. "Well?"

"Erm…here it is!" The orange-tufted boy quickly pulled it up. With a few button pushes, it was copied to Athrun's pad.

"Arigato." Athrun said as he turned to leave.

Once he was assumed to be far enough away, they sighed exasperatedly as Adam poked his head up from behind the computers. "Is he gone?"

"Yeah. Whew! That was a close one." Youlan sighed again.

"He is her fiancé after all." The younger mechanic said. "What a lucky bastard."

"If she acts like a slut, does that make him the pimp?" Adam scowled.

"Feel like unplugging some of Savior's cables?" Youlan joked.

"I can hear everything you're saying, you three." Athrun said from a distance, looking back at them. All three of them were on one foot out of surprise, and they let out squawks again. "And what you said before too."

All three of them started bowing. "Sumimasen! Honto sumimasen!" Adam stopped after one bow, because his head hit the computer terminal.

Athrun sighed, but before he walked away, he turned around and saw Shinn with another mechanic by the Force Silhouette. Shinn quickly looked away without a word. Athrun smiled again as he continued on with his work.

Meyrin's voice echoed throughout the hangar. "Docking complete. Everyone, welcome to ZAFT's Mahamul. Everyone, start checking your stations right away. We will not be leaving the ship until further orders have been given. Commander Zala, pilot Cancho, report to the bridge." The two pilots looked at the intercom speaker then started walking away.

Shinn shot daggers into Athrun's back as Luna slipped in behind the black-haired pilot. "Stop staring at him and speak your peace already." Shinn looked back at the retreating 18 year old. "You're acting like a big baby." Shinn didn't say a word, but something in the conversation made Ray smile as he observed the two.

"Captain, reporting as ordered, ma'am." Adam saluted as he and Athrun walked into the ready room.

She saluted back. "I assume you know why you're here, Athrun."

"Yes, ma'am. We're about to disembark and meet the commander of this base." He said.

"Correct. Adam, I'd like you to come with Athrun, Arthur, and myself."

Everyone was taken aback by that statement. "I beg your pardon, Captain, but isn't that for higher rank personnel only? I could understand if you chose Shinn or Ray, but why me?" Adam was in total disbelief.

"The answer is simple. You need experience. All of the other pilots have seen briefings like this, but you haven't. Call this a learning experience, but be very formal. This isn't a field trip."

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you, ma'am."

The base's officers and the officers of the Minerva walked up to each other and saluted. "I'm Talia Gladys, captain of the battleship Minerva."

"I am the executive officer, Arthur Trine."

"I'm Athrun Zala of the special forces." At this announcement, the base contingent started whispering. All of them knew about the famed Athrun Zala.

"Athrun Zala?" The base commander asked.

"Hai."

"Pardon my rudeness then. I'm the commander of the Mahamul Base, Joachim Radul." He noted the orange-haired boy. "Who is this, may I ask?"

"Pilot Adam Cancho, at your service, sir!"

"Adam will be joining us today in our meeting if that is acceptable with you, Commander Radul." Gladys stated.

The two shook hands. "I have no qualms with that. The journey must have tired you all out. Allow me to offer the full services of this base, meager as they may be."

"I thank you for your kind offer."

"Would you like to start off our meeting with some coffee? We have some high quality beans for just such an occasion."

"That would be wonderful. Arigato gozaimasu."

Shinn, though only walking, was trying to shake off two flies that were hanging around him, one named Lunamaria, and the other named Ray. The female one kept buzzing in his ear. "I mean, I can understand how you feel, Shinn. I mean, he deserted, came back with FAITH status and all the power that comes with it, and he slapped and decked you." Shinn turned his head slightly toward her to pretend he was listening. "But it's not like there's anything that can change that. FAITH is FAITH. He does have the qualifications for doing things like that."

"You're really annoying, Luna. I already know that."

"What is it that you understand then?"

"Just drop it, will you? It's not like it's any of your beeswax." Shinn tromped off, leaving the two other pilots in his wake.

"Big baby!" Luna pouted. Once again, Ray smiled.

The meeting began after all the mugs were filled. "It seems to be quite serious around here. What's the situation?" The captain got right down to business.

"As you probably know, we can't be reckless with the Suez EAF. If this were the last war, we would use an orbital-drop against them. But the Council hasn't approved of that." The commander said with a smile.

"I believe the words were, 'PLANT has no territorial ambitions.' It's no wonder they can't approve it."

"I am a strong supporter of the Chairman's policy, so this war won't be escalated, but letting the EAF do whatever it wants will be trouble later on."

"So what are you saying? Is there another problem besides Suez?"

The commander pointed to the map on the table. "The EAF probably wants to use their Suez base to launch attacks here and at Gibraltar, at the far end of the Mediterranean. Fortunately for us, they can't do that. This region is the reason." He circled a section of land between Suez and Mahamul.

"Western Eurasia? Why there?" Arthur looked down at the map.

"We have the Indian Ocean and Gibraltar in our sphere of influence, so maintaining a stable control between Suez and the continent is vital to the EAF. Suez would be cut off without it."

Radul flipped a switch on the map table and it turned into a 3D topographical map of the region pointed out before. "Woah, I've got to get me one of these!" Adam blurted out. Athrun shook his head and Radul glared at the boy. "Uh, sumimasen. It's the coffee."

The commander smiled again and continued. "To do this, they've taken control of the Gulnahan ravine's thermal power plants, and they've turned it into a bridgehead by extreme force."

"Bridgehead?" Adam whispered to Athrun.

"That's a position in enemy territory where they launch a further advance in the near future." He whispered back.

"Got it."

"From there, they're also attacking the Eurasian resistance. Because of this, they're not able to hold the line to Suez easily." The commander continued. "Though the resistance is always under attack by Central Eurasia, they can't go south to hide from the attacks. If this continues, it will turn into a horrible tragedy."

"If I may…" Athrun said. "From a different perspective, if that point were captured, then the line to Suez would be broken, correct? Not only that, but we'd support the resistance, and deal an indirect blow to the EAF."

"Yes, that's exactly right. Of course, the enemy has already foreseen that, and they haven't made it easy for us." He pointed to a dip in the 3D map and it rotated and zoomed in. "This ravine is the only way in for us, and the enemy has a positron cannon waiting for us, here, on top of this mountain. They even have Reflector using Mobile Armors. Our last attempt to overtake them was a total failure. We were utterly destroyed."

"Just like that time at the ORB border?" Arthur realized what the commander was talking about.

"Isn't that the same thing that I have on Falcon?" Adam looked towards the captain, who nodded.

Radul blinked in surprise. "You have a Reflector as well! Did ZAFT finally make one?"

"Well, not exactly. It's a long story, but yes, I do happen to have one." Adam took a sip of his coffee.

"That works out for us doesn't it? With the Minerva's power added to our own, there was a chance of victory. With a Reflector on our side, those chances will probably increase."

"I understand now." The captain grabbed her mug again. "We have to break through that wall to continue to Gibraltar."

"Exactly right."

"A strategy that forces us to do something like this, what tanuki came up with that plan?"

Inside the PLANT Chairman's office, Dullindal sneezed. He moved a crystal chess piece forward after he blew his nose. "Your move."

His opponent bounced around. "Hey hey hey! Let me see! How about I go with pawn to E3?" The red Haro twirled around.

"Ugh, how did I not see that move coming!" The man laughed and the ball flapped its "arms."

"Well, that's our job, so we'll do it." Talia finished.

Radul relaxed with a smile on his face. "Then let's meet again later and discuss operational timing. We still have some preparations to make on my end. We all want to break through this time, together with you and Minerva." With that, the meeting was dismissed.

"Thank you for the coffee, sir, it was exquisite." Adam saluted.

The commander laughed again as he returned the salute. "You've got quite a character young man. Although I don't know how you could taste it through all the sugar you put into it."

"I suppose you're right, sir. I'm more of the 'Would you like coffee with your sugar' type. It's been a pleasure."

The commander offered his hand, and Adam shook it. "May we meet again."

Adam left and caught up with the others walking on the way back to Minerva. "Well, Adam." Gladys turned to him. "How did you like your first briefing?"

"It was a little confusing at first, but I started to understand it. Thank you for allowing me to come."

"It was nothing, really." She smiled. "You handled yourself well back there."

"He shook your hand, didn't he?" Arthur asked. Adam nodded. "That's a great honor for someone of your rank. It would be for me as well. He must have been very impressed with you."

"Aside from that little map slip-up." Adam rubbed the back of his head. The two laughed as he slid back to Athrun's side. Athrun stopped, remembering something, and Adam stopped shortly after, looking at him. Athrun closed his eyes and shook the thoughts out of his head. "Zala-daichou? You okay?"

"Huh? I'm fine. Come on. We have to catch up." He said as he increased his pace.

"Hai."

Adam waited outside the girl's locker room for Meyrin to come out. They were going to join the mechanics for dinner. He overheard her and Luna's conversation. "Geez. Shinn hasn't said anything to Zala-daichou since the battle?"

"That's about right." Luna said from the shower. "Just what are we going to do with him? He can act so childish some times."

Adam chuckled. "Try most of the time." He said only loud enough for him to hear.

"Okay, most of the time." Luna corrected herself. Adam laughed out loud as he slid down the wall.

"I'd have to agree." Meyrin said.

"Ah, it'll fix itself at one point or another. But Shinn will lose out at this rate."

"Yeah. Zala-daichou is more mature…" Adam felt an arrow in his back. "and cool…" Another arrow.

"Ouch." Adam said as he sat up.

"But isn't he just a year older than me?" Luna asked rhetorically.

"Yeah but you're my sister, so you're not cool, and some times you're as immature as Shinn."

"And a left-uppercut combo to Lunamaria." Adam chuckled as he felt the arrows disappear.

"Besides, it would never work between you. You're too different." Meyrin continued.

"And a right hook after that! Is this the end of Lunamaria, ladies and gentlemen?"

"You're just saying that because you want him for yourself." Luna pouted.

Adam felt like a giant rock labeled "Athrun Zala" was flattening him. "Can't…breathe!"

"Nah. He's not for me either. He's too serious. A slightly goofy guy like Adam, that's the type for me." Meyrin giggled.

Adam got up and tossed the rock behind him with newfound strength. "Haha! Take that, Zala!" The tiny cartoon Athrun he imagined in the back of his head was pancaked by the rock Adam just threw backwards. At that moment, it felt good to be Adam Cancho.

After not finding Shinn at dinner, Adam went out to search for him. Athrun noticed his absence as well. Adam found him on the deck of the ship, watching the sun set in the mountains. "Hey." He said as he leaned against the rail.

"Hey." Was the only response.

"Sorry about earlier. I heard that you were the one that asked Meyrin to check in on me. Thanks. I'm not like you. I can't kill without remorse like you, yet. I have no training for anything like that. It's just hard for me. I can't kill without remorse."

"Remorse isn't such a bad thing, Adam." Athrun came outside. Both pilots stared at him in surprise, but then looked away. "What's wrong? You're out here by yourselves."

"It doesn't really matter." Shinn said to the ocean.

"I just needed to clear my head." Adam spoke in the same direction and tone. "And what about you? I figured FAITH would take up most of your time."

Shinn scowled again. "Are you even allowed to just hop around and loaf in places like these, _sir_?"

"You just can't open your mouth without picking a fight, can you?" Athrun sighed. "Is it that much of a bother that I came back? And slapped you?"

" 'And decked you?' I believe you were going to add." Adam looked in his direction.

"That too."

"It doesn't matter to me which ever way you slice it." Shinn finally started to turn his head. Adam started doing a digging motion with his hands. "What are you doing, moron?"

"I'm shoveling manure. Because that's the biggest pile of it I've ever heard." Adam leaned on his invisible shovel. Athrun laughed.

Shinn stayed cross. "But it's natural not enjoying being slapped."

"Unless you're a masochist." Adam continued digging.

"And when you think about it, being told that an Athha bodyguard in ORB has returned as a superior officer of FAITH isn't something I can just accept blindly. What you're doing is totally unreasonable."

Adam stopped shoveling. "He does have a point."

Athrun became serious again. "Okay, I admit that." He joined them on the rail. "From your views, it looks like I'm being unreasonable. And that's why, isn't it?" Shinn took a step back. "And that's why you won't listen to my orders, and why I annoy you. Isn't that right?"

"Well…no…" Shinn said. Adam resumed his digging motion. "Will you stop that!"

"Keep it up and I'll have enough to fertilize an agricultural PLANT." Adam continued shoveling.

"You're the only one who's right, and everything that you don't like or won't accept is a mistake. Right?" Athrun turned a hard look to Shinn.

"That's not true!" Shinn tried defending himself.

Adam put his hands into fists and moved them around like they were on levers. He moved forward slowly, lifted a hand, and backed up, looking behind him. The other two blinked at him. "I needed a backhoe."

Athrun erupted in laughter again. "Will you quit the shit shoveling!" Shinn growled. "That's not what I was going to say."

Athrun was instantly serious again. "And what about in the Indian Ocean? Do you still believe there were no mistakes made on your part?"

"Hai!" Shinn spoke without hesitation.

Athrun sighed as Adam stopped his act. "You said your family died during the siege of ORB at Onogoro, correct?"

"I said that Athha killed them."

"Shinn, come on that's…" Adam spoke, but Athrun raised his hand to stop him.

"If that's the way you think, I can't change it. Is that why you think like this? 'If I only had power back then… If only I'd gotten hold of power…'"

"Why are you saying all this!" Shinn asked, stepping back farther.

"I'm pretty sure that anyone that's cried over powerlessness feels like that." Athrun looked out into the sunset. Adam's hands dropped down to his sides and the colors in his vision inverted again. "Remember that the moment you have that power in your hands, you're the ones that will make others cry." Adam's vision snapped back to normal as Athrun put a hand on his shoulder and Shinn went wide eyed. "That's why we shouldn't be mindless killing machines, but have remorse over those we have slain." He turned back to Shinn. "Don't you ever forget that." He stepped back and addressed both of them at once. "The battlefield will be ours once again soon. If you forget it then, losing yourself to selfish definitions of justice, you'll only be a destroyer, using power recklessly. You two aren't like that, right?"

"'Only a destroyer.'" Adam looked at his hands, then balled them into fists and put them at his sides, shaking his head. "Never. I'll never succumb to that."

"Good. We'll sortie with the goal of accomplishing the mission. This isn't a fistfight." Athrun said directly to Shinn.

"I know that already." He responded.

"That's fine if it's true. As long as you don't forget, you're an excellent pilot. If not, then 'baka' is the word to describe you." The FAITH member headed for the door.

"And a right cross hits Shinn so hard it leaves him speechless, ladies and gentlemen!" Adam said into his fist, pretending it's a microphone.

"Hey shut up!" Shinn put Adam into a headlock. "He was talking to you too, you know."

"He was not! He was looking directly at you!"

"Yeah, but his mouth was facing in your direction!" Shinn started giving Adam a noogie.

"That was just coincidence!"

"Coincidence nothing!"

Life Goes On.

Chapter 7 Preview: The Lohengrin Gate and the enemy's mobile armors block the path. Even though it's small in comparison to a nation, its people do have wishes. How will Shinn and Adam deal with a young girl's wish? Next time on Old Friends Anew: Something Only You Can Do. Find what needs to be protected, Reflector Shield!


	7. Old Friends Anew Ch 7

Old Friends Anew

Phase-7: Something Only You Can Do

The Minerva flew forward slowly, staying behind its two ground battleship counterparts, escorted by BaCOEs and desert modified GINNs. In one of the ships, the navigator spoke to commander Joachim Radul. "We're coming up to Point-A in a few moments."

"Has Echo sent the signal yet?" He returned.

"Negative, sir." The commander checked his watch and sighed.

The Minerva was no less anxious. The captain asked, "Are Adam and Falcon safely situated in the cargo hatch?" Arthur answered in the positive. "When we pass Point-A, go to Condition Red. Bring all the pilots to the briefing room, excluding Adam of course, he'll come around with our guest."

"Yes, ma'am." Meyrin said.

A lone Jeep/ATV drove alongside the cliffs, the little girl that was driving it watched as the ships overtook her. She gunned the accelerator and drove down to where they were to intercept. She pressed a few buttons on a black box with one hand.

"We have a signal from Echo." One of the officers said.

"Descend. Tell Adam to get ready and lower the cargo hatch."

"Hai!" Meyrin turned to her console.

Adam was jamming to some tune in his head, using his helmet as a drum, while he sat in his cockpit. "You can take another life long try. You can take another tryyyyyyyyyyyyy…"

Meyrin popped up on his screen. "Adam."

"…yyyyyyy…oh? Um, erm, ahem, hi Meyrin." He quickly got into a professional mode.

She giggled for a second, but then got back to her duty. "Get ready, Adam. We've received a signal from Echo. We're lowering you down."

"Understood."

As Adam sealed his helmet, the hatch on the underside of the bow of the ship lowered like an elevator, and a ramp lowered onto the ground, creating sparks as it skidded on the rocks. He clearly saw a vehicle following him. "Do you see it Adam?"

"That ATV is Echo?"

"Correct."

"Okay it's moving into position." Adam turned on his targeting system. "Tell the helm to hold her steady." His green reticule turned red and flashed the word LOCKED on his screen. "Firing grapple." Adam pressed a button on his console and a cable shot out of the right wing. The grappling hook snagged the wide bumper of the ATV. "That's a hit!"

"Good, bring him in and escort him to the briefing room."

"Yokhai." His winch activated and reeled in the jeep, pulling it up the ramp and settling it onto the platform. "Okay, raise it!" Adam said and the hatch started to go up.

"See you later, Adam." Meyrin winked before she turned off the communications.

Adam hopped out of his cockpit and took his helmet off. He went over to greet the guest. The guest took off her bandana and goggles. "Welcome to the Minerv…." Adam paused as he looked at the girl. He dashed around and looked into rest of the jeep and under it. "Please don't tell me our informant fell out!" He started to tear up.

The girl hopped out of the vehicle and put her hands on her hips. "What are you talking about? I'm the informant." She said as the hatch stopped moving.

"Auda? You?"

"Got a problem with that?" She said as she showed her resistance emblem and the Echo box.

Adam raised an eyebrow. "You sure you're not with the infant-try, little girl?"

She slammed her heel on his foot. "For a Coordinator, you sure are dumb. Now take me to the briefing room."

"Yowch!" Adam jumped up and down on one foot, holding the other. "Hey, I've got to fly with this foot, you know!"

She lifted her leg again. "Would you like me to take care of the other one and make it even?"

"Um, no thanks." He said quickly as he started to walk. "This way."

"Finally."

"You've got a real attitude, you know that? Just how old are you?"

"Twelve."

"And you can drive? Shouldn't you be playing with your dollies, instead?" She shot him a glare that would have given an old man a heart attack. "Eheheh. So, what's your name?"

"You can call me Ms. Conille. My friends call me Connie."

"I'll try to remember that, Chibi."

Her heel smashed his other foot. "That's for calling me a shrimp."

"YEEEEEOOOW!"

Luna and Shinn walked into the briefing room with their data pads. "A local collaborator, you say? So it's someone from the resistance." Shinn asked her as they took their seats.

"It would make sense, the Gulnahan situation is pretty bad from what I've heard."

Arthur, Athrun, Adam, and Connie entered the room. All the pilots stood up and saluted, but Shinn was the last one to do so, for he didn't notice at first. Adam also took his position. As they returned the salutes, Shinn cocked his head. "It's just a little girl."

She squinted at him as Adam spoke in his ear. "Yeah, a little girl with a mean heel drop."

"Please be seated." Arthur said, and they obeyed. "Now, we're finally ready. Let us begin the mission briefing on the operation with the Radul squad to destroy the Lohengrin Gate. As you know, this won't be an easy victory. The Radul squadron has tried an attack before, but failed in a horrible defeat. But this time…hmm, Athrun, you take over, it's your plan after all."

"Oh, thank you." He said out of surprise. "I understand." He signaled to the back and someone hit the lights and the projector. A map of the local area was displayed on screen. "This is what the Gulnahan Lohengrin Gate ravine currently looks like." With a flip of the switch, he zoomed in on a certain section and pulled out a baton. "There's a small city at the end of it, and a thermal power plant past that behind the cliff. We are currently approaching through the only way in, the ravine. The enemy has a positron cannon positioned at the top of a cliff, here." He tapped the screen. "It's capable of firing at any point within this vicinity, effectively covering the entire ravine. No matter where we come from, we'll be in range, with no place to hide. If we tried a long distance attack at the cannon or the cliff, we'd encounter mobile suits and a mobile armor with a positron deflector equipped to it. We can't expect anything to hit. I believe you fought one of these off the coast of ORB, correct?"

"Yeah, that's right." Shinn said with his arms crossed.

"In that case, our operation this time would be…."

"We just shoot down that mobile armor." Shinn interrupted.

Adam took that cue to chime in. "Then we destroy the battery."

"And after that we get into Gulnahan." Shinn shrugged. Luna sighed as Ray shook his head.

"Maybe so, but we're talking about how to do that, Shinn." Athrun sent a hard look at him.

"I'll take care of it, if I feel like it." Shinn put his head down.

"And if not, I'll blow that piece of scrap up." Adam crossed his legs.

"So, you'll do it for us? That makes things a lot easier." Athrun smiled a sarcastic smile. "We'll all wait in the rear for your signal. We'll take muffled screams as the signal all right? Let us know when you're done. Briefing dismissed."

"Wait, but I…" Shinn was stunned.

"Or maybe you want to take along some backup? I'm sure Adam would volunteer. He's expendable anyway."

"Say what!" Adam leaned forward. Luna laughed into her fist.

"Not that that moronic conversation is over," Athrun got back to the meeting as Connie pouted, "Miss Conille," She looked up to him in surprise, "He's the pilot. The data you have goes to him."

"Wha? This jerk?"

"That's right."

Red eyes met emerald green as they stared each other down. "What? You got a problem?"

"This pilot is the one that this mission either fails or succeeds, right? Is this really alright with a guy like this at the stick?"

"What was that?" Shinn stood up.

"He's even worse than that orange-haired dipstick over there."

"What did you say?" Adam joined his best friend.

Once again Luna sighed while Ray shook his head. "Miss Conille." Athrun looked down to the girl.

"You're the daicho. Couldn't you do it instead? If he does it and fails, the town will be devastated."

"Why you little…"

"Shinn!" Athrun snapped at him. "Miss Conille, that's enough."

Being forever slow on the uptake, Arthur spoke up. "Oh I get it! I didn't think about Shinn doing it. But…"

"XO, not you too! Geez." Athrun shook his head. He pointed down. "Shinn, Adam, osuwari!"

Adam took his seat, but Shinn still didn't move. The orange-headed boy had an evil grin on his face, and he whipped his leg and impacted Shinn's sending him to the floor with a loud thud and a "Kyaaahhhh!" Shinn got up and rubbed his nose. "What was that for?"

"You know, you sounded like a certain half-dog-demon hanyou when you hit the floor. Sure you don't have a rosary around your neck that reacted to 'osuwari'?"

"I'll kill you for that later." Shinn said as he sat down in a huff.

Athrun smiled to the girl. "I know he's capable of doing it. He'll be all right. So, the data please." She grumbled as she pulled a small chip out of her pocket and pointed it at Athrun. When he took it, she was slow to let go of it, still unsatisfied. Athrun walked over to the pouting pilot and put it in front of him. "Shinn." The boy just closed his eyes and turned away. "Shinn!"

"It's just like she said. It would be better if you did it. Saying 'It'll all be over if he fails' has shaken my confidence. You also think that you can do better, don't you?"

Adam slowly reached for the chip. "Hey if you don't want it," He shot his hand out for the data, "I'll gladly take…huh?" Athrun pulled it away from the pilot in the yellow flight suit.

"Shinn! Stop behaving like a spoiled brat! And you, Adam! Figure out that life isn't a joke already!" They looked up at the yelling special forces commander. "I'm not dumb enough to take your feigned feelings into consideration and give you a mission that's beyond your capabilities. If I thought it was impossible, then I would have done it myself. I believe in your capability, Shinn. Why do you think I chose this plan? Now with all the bragging and taunting, you're getting scared?"

Shinn got up and snatched the datachip from Athrun's grasp and sat down again. "You happy now?"

Athrun sighed. "Lights!" They were turned down again and the screen was pulled up. He handed his baton to the girl. "Miss Conille, would you be so kind?"

"Hai." She pointed to a red line on the map. "There's a tunnel right here, in a side ravine, that barely anyone knows about. I'm certain that the EAF doesn't know about it. It's really cramped in there, so a mobile suit can't get through even if you used a plunger on it. But it comes out right at the base of the battery. As of right now, the exit is blocked, but a few explosives could take care of that."

"Though a mobile suit can't make it, Impulse can. That's why you're not doing this, Adam. Your ship is too big to fit. Impulse can fit because of its separate parts, but you'll have to do without the Silhouette Flyer. Shinn, you'll have to fly according to the data on that chip." Regaining the baton, he slapped it on the screen by the battery. "A frontal attack will be made to distract the cannon while drawing out the mobile armor. After passing through the tunnel, attack the base directly. Timing is key. If you arrive too late, we'll be cornered. Come out too soon, and we won't be able to divert the mobile armor. You got that?"

"Fine, I'll do it." Shinn sighed.

Athrun smiled. "Adam."

The orange haired boy had fallen asleep. Shinn spat on his finger and gave him a Wet Willie of Doom, instantly waking up the boy. "Um, present!" He glared at his fellow pilot as he dried his ear.

Athrun sighed. "Adam, you're our secret defensive weapon. The EAF doesn't know about your reflector shield. You're this ship's defense against their cannon. You won't launch from the Central Catapult, but from the cargo hatch. That will take them off guard. If possible, reflect it into the mobile armor. We'll add all the power of our cannons to it as well and try to overload their systems. With any luck, we can take out the armor and the base at the same time. But this is mainly a defensive strategy. The rest of us will draw the suits away. Lights!" He commanded. "Any questions?"

Meyrin came over the speaker. "The starting point of the operation, Point-B, is approaching. All personnel, go to standby. XO Trine, please come to the bridge immediately."

"Oops." Arthur said as he rushed out.

The other pilots started to leave as the little girl glared at Shinn. "What is it now?" He asked with a scowl. "Is there anything else you want to say?"

Connie looked away. "When ZAFT failed to destroy the battery last time, the town suffered. The reason was, the resistance rose up in coordination with the attack to split up the forces. Anyone that opposed the EAF or even had the remotest chance of opposing them was mercilessly massacred. If this attack fails, then there may be nothing left. That's why…I'm begging you…" Tears started to sting her young eyes, "I want you to finish them off! Burn that battery to the ground for good!" Everyone looked at her in amazed sadness. "I'm begging you, please!"

Adam went up to the girl and patted her on the head. "Don't worry. Everything will be fine. I know Shinn better than anyone, and he can pull it off. Everything will work out, you'll see, Chibi."

Adam found himself flying backwards and taking a chair with him. "Don't call me 'Chibi'!" She said, but then she continued sobbing.

Athrun took up where Adam left off and led her out with an arm on her shoulder.

As Shinn went to examine the data and Adam went down to his unit, Luna and Ray caught up with Athrun and Connie, who were waiting for an elevator. "That was really impressive." Luna complimented. She answered Athrun's questioning look as he turned around. "Shinn can be quite the handful sometimes. He's been like that since the academy, where we all trained together. He doesn't like authority, and likes to pick fights with those higher up. But you were the one that actually put him in his place and listen for once."

"I wouldn't say that. I didn't handle him, really." He continued, to answer her gaze. "He's just different when it comes to a lot of things, really." The elevator opened up and he moved to enter. "He's not a bad guy. I'm not really good at socializing myself." He closed the elevator and ended the conversation.

"Do you think he just blew me off?" She asked Ray as they waited for the next elevator.

"Hmm…dunno."

"I think he blew me off."

Point-B had been crossed, and the operation was officially underway. Meyrin's voice echoed throughout the hangar from the bridge. "Impulse, standby for launch. Pilot to Core Splendor." Shinn swung himself into the cockpit, and closed the hatch. "Central Catapult is online. Closing the protective shutter and moving the catapult to liftoff positon." As it raised, Shinn started up his unit and booted up the OS. "Core Splendor's systems online."

The captain barked out orders. "Shield the bridge. Initiate anti-mobile suit tactics. Once Impulse launches, we'll be moving ahead of the Desmond and the Bagley."

Arthur hopped over to his station. "CIWS, Tristan, Isolde, all activated. Launcher one and seven, numbers one through five, arm Parsifal missiles."

Meyrin continued her duties as the other Gundam in the hangar was moved to the starboard catapult. "X23S Savior, Athrun's unit, prepare for launch. System bootup confirmed." Athrun went through his pre-flight checklist. "Catapult is now on standby." On the opposite side, a white Zaku was moving to the port hatch. "Za Burrel unit, Blaze Zaku Phantom, prepare for launch." Ray silently flipped switches. "All systems are on. Launch sequence initialized." Core Splendor finally made it to the runway. "Opening hatch. Checking the ejection system, engaged. Catapult thrust is good. Course clear. Core Splendor, hashin, dozo!"

The final check on the wall buzzed three times quickly and the pitch changed for a longer fourth buzz. Shinn throttled up. "Shinn Asuka, Core Splendor, ikimas!" A quick release of his breaks and he was out of there. He did a double barrel roll to the left.

"Catapult engaged. Chest Flyer, ejecting. Dozo!" The top half of Impulse launched out. "Leg Flyer, sestzu. Go ahead!" Impulse's lower half shot out like it had the three bean casserole for lunch. The two automated parts followed the piloted jet into a side ravine. Connie looked on from a monitor with the mechanic crew.

Inside the Lohengrin Gate, sensors picked up something and sirens blared. "Heat sources are approaching from A-1, everyone scramble! Mobile suit squadron launch when ready."

Inside the command center, the radar officer attempted to identify the units found. "Two are ZAFT land battleships. Lesseps-class; number: one. Petrie-class; number: one. The last one is…the Minerva!"

The commander scoffed. "ZAFT just can't seem to learn their lesson. New ship or not, the result will be the same. Charge up the Lohengrin! Launch the Gerzu-Geh!"

"You have a clear course. Power conduit has been separated. YMFG-X7D Gerzu-Geh, launch when ready." The launch coordinator relayed the message to the monstrous six legged mobile armor with a mobile suit torso attached to the center, holding two double-barreled blasters. It started to stomp its way out.

Shinn kept an eye on his data screen as he navigated the ravine. The other two parts were following his every movement. "Is that it?" He said as he saw an opening with a small waterfall coming out of it. He dove into it, and instantly he wasn't able to see. "Eeehhhh! What the hell! It's pitch black in here!" He tried to hold Core Splendor steady as he looked at his map. "Damn it! I'm flying blind. He wasn't kidding when he said I could only rely on the data!"

"_Shinn, you'll have to fly according to the data on that chip."_

"That isn't the problem at all!" He tapped the rocks twice as he tried to hold course. The clang echoed through the chamber, but was quickly killed by the sounds of the engines. He flew through a waterfall. "Shit!"

"_A frontal attack will be made to distract the cannon while drawing out the mobile armor. After passing through the tunnel, attack the base directly."_

Shinn went vertical as he followed a large waterfall, leaving a trail of water behind as he righted himself again. He was boiling mad. " 'I believe in your capability,' my ass! The bastard!" He skidded off another rock, sending sparks flying. "The only reason you gave this to me was because you didn't want to do it yourself, you lazy ass!"

"_Timing is key. If you arrive too late, we'll be cornered. Come out too soon, and we won't be able to divert the mobile armor. You got that?"_

"I'll make it through this, just so I can kick your damn pansy ass!" Shinn yelled at nothing. "Damn it!" His rage echoed louder than his engines as the passageway got narrower.

About fifteen desert-modified Windams were in the air, heading for the three ships as Savior was dropped onto the catapult. "Course clear. Savior, hashin. Dozo!" Meyrin said as the starboard hatch opened up.

The buzzers sounded again for the catapult's side panel. "Athrun Zala, Savior, hashin salu!" His unit was shot out, the umbilical cable popped out, and the red Phase Shift armor came into full view.

A warrior pack came down from above in the portside catapult and attached itself to White. "Rey Za Burrel, Zaku, hashin salu!" His unit was on its way as well.

A gunner pack latched itself to Red's back in the starboard catapult. Luna slid down her visor. "Lunamaria Hawke, Zaku, deluwayo!"

Radul issued orders. "Okay everyone, spread out! Don't give them an easy shot." BaCOEs began launching and the other mobile suits stood on deck with missiles.

Gladys began her run. "Ascend. Charge up the Tannhäuser. Be sure not to aim where it might accidentally hit the town beyond. Lure them all out here."

The XO started up the weapon. "Aiming Tannhäuser. Targeting the mobile suits."

Another one of the weapons officers spoke. "Primary bank, contact. Power output is o.k. Safety is released."

Inside the mobile armor, one of the three pilots smiled. "Looks like the enemy has activated a positron cannon. They're targeting our mobile suits."

"Heh," The commander said. "Start up the Reflector and move to the front line. We'll send it right back at them." They pulled forward and their pink energy shield extended.

"Tei!" Arthur cried as the weapon fired. The air exploded around the massive pink and blue beam, impacting on the pink shield, energy sparking around it. A backlash wave moved along the ground and water, knocking the Minerva to the side with great force, and stopping the ground troops advance temporarily. A few BaCOEs tumbled about, but the Minerva's suits hid in the rocks to buffet the storm.

From inside his cockpit, Adam was getting rattled. "Meyrin, what the hell is happening up there!"

"The mobile armor took our positron hit and sent a backlash our way, but we've identified it. I'm sending you the data." A picture of the mobile armor appeared on his screen.

"Ew, creepy-looking isn't it? I'll just have to whittle down its legs a bit. When can I launch?"

"Not just yet, we'll let you know."

As the smoke started to clear Athrun barked orders to his comrades. "Let's go! Draw out as many mobile suits as possible." Both Luna and Ray acknowledged in the positive.

The large-nosed commander of the base scoffed. "Heh. Since they have their own positron cannon, they're trying to mix things up for us above and below. Well, they get an A for effort. But they don't have a shield, so you're at our mercy. Rotate the Lohengrin. Target the airborne enemy!"

One of the bridge hands of Minerva noticed the movement. "The cannon is turning!"

"Release the cargo hatch! Send Adam out now!" Talia yelled over the explosions.

"Hai! Adam!" Meyrin called.

"I heard." Adam got his systems up to full power. His engines were revving as the hatch lowered. "Adam Cancho, Falcon, kissing the sky!" He released the breaks and shot out, and moved forward under the belly of Minerva. He came as far ahead as he could between the enemy and the Minerva, then began to switch modes.

"I'm detecting an energy charge building!"

"This is going to be close!"

"Adam!" Meyrin cried.

"Don't worry, I'll make it!" He said. The bottom hatch opened up and the legs extended. The cockpit receded into the body as the wings folded back and the arms extended. The nose popped off and split into two sections, attaching themselves as shoulder shields. The Phase Shift armor surrounded the suit as the wings split apart. The blaster didn't slide into its right hand though. The shield slipped into the left and instantly opened, revealing its Reflector glow in blue. Falcon gripped it with both hands.

"Tei!" The commander said and the pink and blue energy blast hurtled towards Minerva.

"Sir, there's an unidentified mobile suit in the line of fire!"

"Nani!"

The weapon slammed up against Adam's shield, electricity crackled around him and the cockpit. "Aaaggghhhh!" He cried, fighting his way against the force of the blast. One of his screens shot up a warning sign. "What? Power output is too great! But that means…" An image of his mobile suit exploding and the beam intersecting the bridge came into his mind. He saw the frightened faces as they were about to be disintegrated. 'Captain. XO. I'm sorry. I can't hold this thing.' The vision of a pink-redhead in tears returned to his eyes. 'Meyrin!' "MEYRIN! MINERVA! DIVE NOW! DO IT!"

"Engines go to max! Descend and evade!" Talia leaned forward.

"Grrrrraaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!" Adam cried as Falcon tilted backwards. The beam slid off his shield at a slightly different angle, just above Minerva. The air exploded around it. One blast caught Falcon and sent Adam flying. "Waaaaaaahhhhhhh!"

Minerva dove so low it skidded on the sand and ricocheted back up into the air. Everyone on the bridge was rattled. Ray, Luna, and Athrun saw them flying above, and gasped.

"Damn this shit!" Shinn still was flying through the maze of rocks and waterfalls.

The base's commander growled. "What was that!"

"It looked like a Reflector Shield sir!"

"Damn it. Recharge the power. Get the Gerzu-Geh back here. What's the Dagger squad doing?" The crab-like armor landed and started crawling back to base.

Athrun hissed as he jumped up, dodging two missiles that were aimed for him. "The Armor is falling back. Lunamaria, get him!" Ray said as a missile exploded next to him and her.

All the Windams foxed their missiles at Athrun, who danced around them in the air. When they tried to follow him in a group, he whipped around and sent a buster beam to take them all out. Ray foxed his own missiles and took out a few suits. Minerva's CWIS guns were taking out more suits and missiles. Luna's buster cannon shot through two in one shot, and the others in formation broke away from the exploding units.

Shinn's data map was beeping, and what he saw overjoyed him. "Is that the goal? This is it! Just 500 left, thank God. The beep turned into a long tone as a point on the map turned red. "Eat this!" He foxed his missiles at the blockage in the exit. The exit blew open as the Mobile Armor climbed up next to it. You can imagine their surprise when 3 pieces of a mobile suit flew out of solid rock past them.

"Shinn!" Lunamaria noticed him first out of the four pilots.

Adam righted Falcon and groaned. "Oh, Shinn made it."

"Adam, what happened?" Captain Gladys was on his screen as all of Impulse's parts went vertical.

"The cannon was more powerful than I could handle." The boy responded as Shinn ejected the missile pods and the wings folded down. "It was threatening to overload my capacitor." Core Splendor joined with the Leg Flyer, and the legs stretched out.

"Are you still able to fight, or do you want to return?" Talia asked him. Secretly, in the background, Meyrin was praying for him to come back. The Chest Flyer joined up with the other two parts and the arms stretched out, blaster in the right hand, shield in the left.

"I can still fight. I'm just a little shaken is all." Adam said as Impulse's armor Phase Shifted to blue and its shield opened up.

"Then stick with the Minerva until you're back to full strength." The captian said.

"Yokhai." Adam flew back to Minerva's side.

The Gate's base alarms were all going off at once. The commander stood up. "What on Earth is that! Intercept it! Retract the Lohengrin!" Cannons emerged from the mountain and fired orange blasts at Shinn.

The mobile armor captain barked orders. "Come on, fire! We need to bring that thing down!"

Athrun let out a battlecry and dropped his shield as he pulled out both of Savior's beam sabers. He dropped in front of the Armor and slashed off both of its arms off. The cables to the Lohengrin started to disengage. Shinn fired blaster shots at two of the cannons, and then was distracted by a mobile suit that launched a missile that exploded right next to him. He shot it down. The cannon slowly started descending into the base. "Shinn!" Athrun cried, seeing the problem. He dodged a blaster shot from one of the Armor's legs.

"Damn it!" Shinn yelled as he made Impulse jump. He shot down two more suits on the run, dropped his blaster and pulled out his right hand vibrating knife. He thrust it into the cockpit of an attacking mobile suit, effectively decapitating the pilot. The boy blocked another blaster hit with his shield and launched upwards. Tossing his shield away, he pulled out the other blade as the massive weapon of destruction continued to lower. As the door began to close on the weapon, Shinn stuck his blade into the cockpit of the suit right in front of it. "Grrraaaaahhhhh!" He picked up the disabled suit and threw in between the closing metallic jaws. He shot it with his vulcans, and the head came off, putting a dent in the weapon and the doors shut. "No!" Shinn yanked his blade from the dead suit and pounded it into the armor plating, but it didn't make a dent. "No! Nononononono! I've gotta destroy that thing! For the little girl! For the town! For everyone!"

A voice came over the communications of all the pilots. "Ha, well played ZAFT soldiers." It was the base's commander. "But not good enough. I'm sure you all know quite well what happened last time you failed to breach us. Now you shall have the entire town's death on your heads. This is their punishment for your mistake!" A foux-rock wall facing the town opened up slowly.

"I'm reading an energy buildup, Captain!" One of the bridge hands on Minerva yelled. "These readings…it's another positron cannon!"

"They'd decimate the entire town!" Talia's eyes went wide.

"Damn the EAF!" Athrun yelled as he fired busters into the legs of the Armor. The electrical shock effectively disabled it permanently.

Adam's world stopped. "If that thing fires…." The image of a nuke going off entered his head. _"I want you to finish them off! Burn that battery to the ground for good!"_ 'Chibi!' Adam thought. _"I'm begging you, please!"_ 'For her!' Falcon went into jet form. "Rrrraaaaahhhhhh!" He gunned the engine, his eyes wide.

"Adam!" Shinn saw him fly overhead.

"Adam!" The captain was stunned.

"ADAM!" Meyrin screamed.

"Dipstick!" Connie whispered, before she ran out of the observing room.

"YOU BASTARDS WANT THE TOWN! YOU'RE NOT GETTING IT!" Adam yelled as he switched back to mobile suit in front of the fully revealed weapon.

"Tei!" The commander said as the cannon fired. It impacted Adam's shield at point blank range. "Nani!"

"RRRRRAAAAAGHHH!" Adam fought against the powerful blast. He saw the screen next to him blinking warning lights all over. 'Not good. It's going to overload the shield. Overload? That's it!' The shoulder shields on the mobile suit merged together and Falcon reached into it with one hand. His systems started to overload, and his console screen exploded in front of him. "AGH!" He continued working though, working his hand with the blaster's power core. His work done, he flipped the nose cone over and slammed it against the shield and held it in place with both hands. As the shield gave out he whispered. "Boom."

The nose cone and shield exploded, the shockwave sending the cannon's blast right back where it came from. The damage caused a chain reaction in both of the Lohengrins and the base started to go up explosion by explosion. Falcon plummeted to the Earth below.

"Adam." Meyrin began shaking all over. "NO!" She shrieked, as tears flowed from her eyes.

"Adam!" Shinn launched as high into the air as possible, but his normal jet pack wasn't enough to get high enough to see the crevices. "Minerva, send me a Silhouette! Send me something!"

"Shinn, no! Our mission isn't through yet! We still have to help the rebellion in the town! We can look for him later, but we have to do this now!" Athrun said.

"But…."

"That's an order!"

"Captain!" Connie came up on the internal communications screen. "Let me off. I'll find him and signal with Echo."

"In this situation?" The captain was wary.

"I know these canyons better than anyone. If there's one person that can find him, it's me."

She sighed. "Very well. Meyrin, open the hatch for her." The girl didn't answer. "Meyrin?" Gladys turned to look. Meyrin was completely still, wide eyed and tears falling. She started to tilt out of her chair, just as the captain caught her. "Arthur, take over!" She said as she lifted the girl into her ready room.

"Hai!" He said as he jumped to Meyrin's station and opened the hatch. Then he assumed the captain's chair. "Helm, bring her down to ground level and let her off."

The ATV jumped off the hatch and hit the ground running in search of the boy.

In the captain's ready room the older woman laid the girl's head on a pillow. "We'll have to talk about your reaction to all this later, Meyrin." She said as she pulled out a medical kit from her desk.

An ice pack was placed on the girl's forehead and some smelling salts were waved under her nose. Meyrin coughed as she turned away from the potent smell. "Wha? Captain? Adam…he's…."

"Shh. Rest now. Ms. Conille is out looking for him. I have to get back to the bridge. Just stay here until you're feeling better." She said at the door.

"I'm sorry Captain. I guess I'm not good at anything here."

"That's not true, but we'll talk later." The door closed behind her.

Connie hit the breaks hard and the ATV slid to a stop. She looked into a shallow canyon below her, and in it was Falcon's gray form. She slid down the incline with a medical kit. Climbing aboard the torso of the mobile suit, she found the hatch release, and it opened up to reveal Adam lying back in his seat. His helmet's glass was cracked and broken at the very top left of it. Connie unsealed his helmet and pulled it off of his head gently. A trickle of blood was going down over his closed eye and cheek on the left hand side. A shard of helmet glass was sticking in out of a wound. Connie patched it quickly and wrapped his forehead in a bandage, and broke a smelling salt under his nose.

Adam quickly turned from the smell and coughed. "Oh damn that's ripe!" He turned back to the girl as she stuffed the salt away, his eyes half open. "Oh, hey Chibi."

"Good, your memory is okay. Try not to move around too much." She said as she examined the rest of him. "You might have a concussion."

"I hope you're not here to tell me that and that the town was destroyed. I could really use some good news for once."

Connie flung herself on him with a tearful smile and she hugged him. "You did it. You saved everyone I love."

"Ouch! Bruised rib! Bruised rib!"

She pulled away. "Sorry."

He reached out and put a hand on her head. "I know it was Shinn who made the promise to destroy the base, but it was sort of a general promise from everyone. I'm glad they're all safe."

"Thank you." The young girl sniffed.

An explosion at the base rattled the cliffs, and it started a rock slide, sending the ATV over the side, with slabs of rock along for the ride. "Get in!" He said as he pulled her against him and closed the hatch. Rocks started to fall over them.

"Gyyaaahhh!" Connie screamed, as Adam held her.

When it calmed down, he released her and turned on the lights in the cockpit. "You okay?" She nodded. "Good. Get behind the seat. I'm going to sit Falcon up and see what the damages are." She shifted around until she was out of the way. Adam flipped a few more switches on his panel and the cameras turned on. He pressed a button on his throttle controls and the Gundam sat up. Surveying the damages to the surrounding area, Connie sighed. "Looks like your ride is totaled, huh?"

"Yeah. I liked that ATV too."

Adam ran through diagnostics. "Let's see, Phase Shift armor can still run. Engines are good. We've got enough power. But the communications array is totally shot." He turned to the brown-haired girl. "Need a lift?"

"Not like I have much choice. It's either be a passenger in a mobile suit or I walk."

"Or you could pilot too."

"Really!" She squealed.

Adam cleaned out his ear. "Not so loud. My head still hurts you know. And yes, really. I'll give you a piloting lesson. Let me just get Falcon to stand up." He pulled it into a standing position using the grappling hooks in the wings, considering the hands had been blown off. "Okay, now come sit in front of me."

She hopped into his lap and he placed her hands on the controls. "Now, that's the throttle, and the bodily control. Depending on what button you hold, the controls will do different motions. Hold this one and move forward, the legs crouch. This one moves the arms and aims the cannons."

"How do you make it move and fly?"

"Ah, that's a nice one. Drop down for a second and find where my feet are. You see those two pads on either side of each foot? The inner pad on the left foot is for flight throttle forward and the right foot is for backwards. The outer pads are for walking or running forward and back, but you can turn the pads slightly to the left or right, making the Gundam turn as well. See how it works?"

"Sounds really complicated."

"Well this mobile suit isn't like the EAF ones because I'm a Coordinator. Their OS systems are a bit easier to understand, but they're not as effective as ours."

"I see."

"So, why don't you take the jet controls and I'll handle the orientation. Remember, she's really sensitive, so go easy on her. Let's take to the skies."

"Okay." She said as she slowly leaned forward on the pads with her feet. Falcon's engines flared to life and the mobile suit rose. "Liftoff!"

In the town, all the citizens rebelled, raiding EAF houses and bases, looting them, desecrating the flags, and beating the surviving militia members. "Kill the whole garrison! Don't let a single one live!" One cried as he shot two in the back.

Minerva landed on a sand dune as Impulse and Savior landed in the center square of the town. Shinn removed his helmet and exited to a cheering crowd, but he couldn't let himself be happy. He looked back to the cliffs where his best friend was last seen. He sighed as he mounted the rope to lower himself to ground level. As the mechanical winch moved, he saw something approach from over Minerva's wing, and it had blue and brown armor. "No way. Adam!" He said as he stepped onto the ground. The townspeople crowded around him and started slapping him on the back and giving him thanks. "Hey, come on guys!" He chuckled. "You might want to clear the way everyone, the real star of the show is coming in!"

Falcon waved its handless arm as it slowed its descent angle. When it landed, the cockpit opened up and the winch swung out. Adam emerged first, with a bandaged head. "Come on." He said as Connie took his hand. The boy put his foot into the stirrup and a hand on the rope. He picked the girl up with the other arm. "Hold on tight."

"Yep!" She said as she wrapped her arms around him and they started to lower to the crowd below.

"But not that tight!" Adam winced as he felt his bruise being aggravated again.

Once on the ground, Shinn waved to them from the shoulders of a person that was so enthused that parading him around would be very deserving. "Woah! Hey Adam, Ms. Conille, good to see you alive! You can let me down now you know! Wahey!" He cried as he unwillingly went crowd surfing.

"Come on, Chibi. Let's enjoy the celebration." Adam smiled.

She nodded with a big grin on her face. "Wha!" She found herself scooped up by the boy and given a ride on his shoulders. She waved enthusiastically as Adam walked her into the crowd. She saw someone that she recognized. "Papa! Papa!" She flailed her arms to get him to notice her.

"Woah, hey, calm down, Chibi! You're gonna make me lose bala…woah!" He toppled backwards. Instantly they were both lifted up and joined Shinn in the crowd surfing, laughing all the way.

Athrun watched with a small smile on his face from inside his suit. He turned somber when he looked the other way, as a local was shooting dead five EAF officers in the back of the head. He didn't notice his screen turn on. "Good work today, Athrun." Captain Gladys said. He turned to the screen. "We'll leave the rest to Radul. You can come home now."

"Hai." He responded, and the captain let out a small sigh before she closed the line.

Athrun dismounted his ship and walked towards the two boys who were still getting buffeted with congratulations. Shinn smiled. "What's up? Did you get hit, even as good as you are at piloting?"

"No, but I sure did." Adam pointed to his forehead.

"Baka. That's because you act so recklessly."

"Oh like you would have done differently."

"Well I would have…well…okay, you got me." Shinn spoke Athrun chuckled slightly. "The mission officially succeeded, right?"

Athrun looked to all the smiling faces. "Definitely, a total success. You did a really good job, both of you. It was your powers that made this possible."

"No, way, come on!" Adam waved him off.

Shinn waved a finger at Athrun. "It was awful in there you know. My life was flashing before my eyes!"

"There's a short story for you." Adam rolled his eyes.

"How'd you like me to add another wound to that head of yours?" Shinn glared at him. Turning back to Athrun, he continued with his arms crossed. "You didn't tell me there wouldn't be any light in the tunnel."

"Is that so? I think I told you that you'd be relying on the data alone."

"Yeah…well…even so…."

"You went through with it though. You did it after all, right? I know for a fact that I said that."

"Okay, that's true too, but in the end it was Adam that took care of it."

"It doesn't matter who got the final kill. We did it together. There was no way we could have expected them to have another cannon." Athrun turned from both boys. "We're a team, you know. We'll all be there to back up the others whenever we need, right?" They nodded. "Let's go home. Our mission is done."

Shinn just turned away and went to his unit. Adam mounted his unit and waved to Connie who was now on her father's shoulders. "Chibi! Be careful now! And don't forget those lessons I taught you! They might come in handy someday!"

"You too, Dipstick! Keep in touch okay?" She called out.

"Don't worry, I will. I might even drop in sometime after the war is done!" He hopped into his unit and flew back to the Minerva's waiting hangar.

In the infirmary, Adam had his wounds properly bound, including a new one around his chest. The bruised rib was actually cracked. As he was getting looked over, he examined the damage report on Falcon and sighed. "Without a nose, jet form is useless, and we don't have the resources or technology to make it or a positron shield. At least she'll be battle ready in a few days. Speaking of battle ready, how long do you think it'll take for me to be back up to full strength, doc?"

"About a week. The good news is that you don't have a concussion. You should be able to put on the usual rounds and can fight if need be, but I'll be telling the captain to keep you on as a reserve pilot."

"Okay, thanks doc." He said as the bandage was finished.

"In any case, I think someone would like to see you."

"Someone?"

"You can come in now, he's decent." The medical professional called out and the door slid open.

A certain girl with pinkish-red pigtails walked into the room with her hands clenched in front of her. Adam smiled when he saw her. "Meyrin."

She went over and sat by him. The doctor quickly took his leave saying something about some wounds being healed with things other than medicine. When she looked up, tears were in her eyes. "I thought you…"

"Had died?"

"Mhm." She looked down to her knees.

He pushed her chin up and looked into her eyes. "That's not going to happen. I promised you I'd protect you, and as long as you need protecting, I won't die."

"Adam, why do you do these things for me?"

"I think that answer is obvious." He smiled as he rubbed a tear from her cheek.

"You're right, it is." Meyrin willed herself forward and kissed him on the lips. Adam's eyes were in shock for a moment, before he closed his eyes and enjoyed his girlfriend's gift.

Life Goes On.

Chapter 8 Preview: The celebration after victory is what every soldier looks forward to. When unexpected guests appear to give what they seek, praise follows. Even so, the war is far from over. Will the truth of war be revealed for the pilots? And what of the wounded unit? Next time on Old Friends Anew: The Hidden Side of War. Make your way to more peaceful skies, orange Zaku!


	8. Old Friends Anew Ch 8

Old Friends Anew

Phase-8: The Hidden Side of War

"Hi, I'm Adam Cancho." The orange haired boy said, sitting in a comfy chair, he passed a microphone over to the next person in line.

"Meyrin Hawke."

"Shinn Asuka."

"Lunamaria Hawke."

"Ray za Burrel."

"And Athrun Zala."

The microphone came back to Adam. "For those of you who, like me, have absolutely no idea what happened before the story started, we have a special treat for you. Shinn head's up." He arced the mike over to his best friend.

"Yeah, we've hijacked the Minerva's satellite communications for a little while…."

"That's illegal you know." Athrun sighed.

"It can't be helped. We're doing it for a good cause, you know." Meyrin looked at the special ops member.

"Fine, do what you wish, but I won't be part of it." Athrun stood up and left.

"Now see what you've done?" Luna grumbled.

"Shouldn't we get back to what we were talking about before we lose the satellite?" Ray said matter-of-factly.

"Right." Shinn took a deep breath. "So we have live from the Archangel, in an undisclosed location, Captain Murrue Ramius!"

The screen in front of them turned on and the video feed from the Archangel popped up. "Hello there, everyone." The woman smiled.

Shinn handed the mike to Lunamaria. "Thanks for joining us today, Captain Ramius."

"Not at all, it's my pleasure."

"We're told that you are a great narrator. Would you be so kind as to outline what has happened so far in the storyline?"

"Certainly." The room's lights darkened.

"Cosmic Era 73. The terrorist attack causing Junius-7 to fall, later becoming known as 'Break the World,' caused the earth to crumble into another confusing war."

"_It's all the more important that we win! Reinitiate the original plan…no, make it better! Defeat them and destroy their power for sure, that's what we must do!"_

"_However, I would remind all of you that we are merely exercising our right to active self-defense. The weapons that we wield now, I hope that they shall end all battles for eternity."_

"Inside this tense time, the Minerva, whose orders are to assist the forces against Suez, removed the Eurasian bridgehead the EAF set up, and will soon arrive at a city on the Black Sea coast, liberated by Gibraltar's forces."

The lights were raised. "Well that helped out a few things, I'd say." Adam spoke up.

Ray had the microphone. "Thank you for your time, Ramius-cancho."

"It was my pleasure." The screen blipped out.

"So all you fans now know what's going on." Shinn said.

"So go on and enjoy the rest of the show, okay everybody?" Meyrin waved.

"Oh, and a final note, this little event that we just put on has absolutely no effect on the storyline." Adam said as he waved. Four sets of eyes glared at him and he went stiff.

"What do you mean by that?" They all said at once.

"I mean that basically everything we just did has no effect on the story at all. Meaning we didn't hijack the satellite dish, we never met Ramius-cancho, and basically this meeting never happened."

"That means we're not getting paid for this scene!" Luna snarled.

"Sorry to say. I tried to get them to do pay us for this scene, but they said that if they paid us, that would mean it's a part of the story and that would change the entire storyline."

"So we basically did all that for nothing!" Shinn was about to take a swing at Adam.

"Not for nothing, at least the readers won't have questions about it in the reviews section."

Meyrin was pondering something. "Um, Adam…"

"Yeah?"

"Now that the summary is over, does that mean that we're on the clock right now?"

"Um…" He pulled out the script. "Nope, we're still on free time. The episode doesn't start until the Minerva backs into port."

"And basically everything we do before then never happened, right?"

"Um…right. What are you getting at?"

Meyrin snatched his arm and started dragging him out the door. "Come on sweetie, we have a few things to not do." She giggled and blushed.

Shinn and Luna had their jaws on the floor. Ray was the one that spoke. "Perhaps we should stop them before they do something they will regret."

Shinn's mouth was the one that closed first. "Or DON'T do something they will regret."

"But wouldn't that be: DON'T do something they WON'T regret?" Luna finally spoke.

"Ah, who cares, let's just go after them." Shinn said as he opened the door.

"Or, NOT go after them." Ray said as he followed.

And so Lunamaria, Shinn, and Ray did not go after Adam and Meyrin to not keep them from not doing something they wouldn't regret. Ow, now my head hurts.

"This is Diocvia Port Control. Please continue on your approach, Minerva. Welcome to our port." One of the controllers said as Minerva backed into the dock.

"Arigato, Port Control." The Navigator said.

"Well, now that that's out of the way…" The captain stood up. "Meyrin, could you please call Adam into my office and join me there?"

The pigtailed girl got a fearful look on her face and pulled back. "H…hai." She turned back to her station. "Adam Cancho, please report to the bridge. Adam Cancho, please report to the bridge."

"Auda?" Adam looked up at the intercom.

"Okay, all done." The doctor removed the bandages from his head. "Doubt there'll even be a scar."

"Thanks, doc. I'd better get going. If the captain needs me, you know it's gotta be important."

Adam entered the ready room. "Adam Cancho reporting…as…." Meyrin was sitting there as well, and she looked worried. "Ordered." He swallowed.

The captain's face was unreadable. "Sit down, Pilot."

"Hai!" Her voice instantly struck fear into him and he obeyed, sitting directly next to Meyrin.

"Then let's get down to business shall we?" The captain put her hands in front of her mouth and leaned on her elbows. "I'm told that you two have gotten very close recently. You have become a couple, correct?"

"Y…yes ma'am." Meyrin said, holding her hands tightly in her lap.

"You were afraid of telling me. Why?"

"Well, we don't know your rules when it comes to things like this. If you had found out, you might have split us up, or worse." Adam sighed. "But it looks like none of that matters now."

"Correct. I am the captain of Minerva. I hear all, I see all, and I know all that goes on in this ship. Remember that. And when it comes to sexual relations, I won't allow it." Her voice was dripping with a figurative poison.

"S…sex?" Meyrin blushed redder than her sister's hair. She shook her head wildly.

"If that rule is broken, I will personally stick you on the catapult and shoot you out of this ship."

Adam took a deep breath and grabbed Meyrin's hand. "Captain, we are no where near ready for that. We're too young. And besides, this is a PG-13 rated fanfiction. I don't think the author is about to up the rating and write a lemon." Damn right.

The captain was unaffected by the statement. "And as for your relationship in general, I have only one thing to say." The young couple held each other as if it was the last time, as they awaited the verdict. The captain closed her eyes, sat up and smiled. "You should have told me sooner!"

"Huh?" Both the girl and boy said at once.

"I have absolutely no problems with romances aboard ship, as long as it doesn't interfere with your work. You have my permission to date on my ship."

Meyrin smiled widely. "Really!"

"Yes. I know what it's like to be in love, and I think it's very sweet that such young people in war can find it here, on a battleship. As long as it doesn't get in the way of your work and you abstain from sex, I will have no problems. Which brings me to the second point of the day." Meyrin swallowed. "Meyrin, you basically passed out when Adam's ship went down."

"I'm sorry ma'am. I guess I'm not cut out to be here." She whispered.

"Meyrin." Adam placed a hand on her shoulder.

"That's not true at all." The captain pulled out a large file and placed it on the desk. "Do you know what this is?"

"No ma'am." The girl looked at the object for a second. "I don't know."

She opened the file. "These are all the rejected candidates that were under consideration for this ship. This one is interesting. Tomoari Youzowla. Hard working, very serious, and anticipated what was needed and prepared to do so before the trainer asked. The position she was applying for was yours Meyrin, along with eight other people."

"Captain Gladys, I mean no disrespect, but is there a point to this?"

"Chairman Dullindal and I went through every single candidate's file. Everyone on this ship was handpicked by the two of us. Everyone on this ship is special, Meyrin, even you. No one could do the job better than you, that was what we believed, and I know that I still do."

"But I fainted on duty."

"That was an isolated incident. You had just gotten into your relationship, correct? You were afraid of losing him. I'm sorry to say, but fear will happen every time Adam goes out into battle."

"Then how can I operate on the bridge when he goes out to fight?"

"Meyrin, I promised you I'd come back, remember? Until there's nothing to harm you anymore, I won't die. I'll protect you." The boy cradled her in his arms.

"Well, that's a first step. The other thing Meyrin, is that you have to learn to channel that fear, and enhance your abilities with it. If you're afraid that he will lose his life out there, do everything in your power to end the fight before that happens, and that means doing your job and doing it well. Do you think you can do that?"

"I…can try."

"That's all I ask. I wouldn't want to lose my #1 communications officer. Other than that, you're both dismissed. Why don't you hop off for some shore leave."

"Thank you, captain." Adam said as they bowed, and left.

On the other side of the door, Adam and Meyrin embraced tightly. "I thought we were through!" Meyrin sighed.

"Me too! Come on, let's find your sister and my roommate."

Adam and Meyrin did eventually find the two, in the lounge looking out the window like everyone else, including the two mechanics. "Yo, Shinn!" Adam said as he tossed the boy a soda.

"Nice toss!" Shinn said as he caught the drink. "Check the view, man!"

"It sure is wonderful, isn't it, Lumi?" Meyrin asked her big sister.

"No kidding. For a long time all we've seen is rocks, sand, and ocean. It's good to see something so ornate in a while." The lounge door opened and the squadron commander came in. Lunamaria smiled with pure glee as she ran up to him. "Zala-daichou!"

Meyrin opened her mouth to object, but no words came. She pouted as Shinn and Adam looked over her shoulder. Shinn scoffed. "Like a bee to honey."

Meyrin shot him a glare that would have sent his brain into the next room, and then sighed. "You're right. She's fawning over a taken man."

"I guess she thinks she can do better than Lacus." Adam spat at the name. "I wonder what she'll do when she realizes she can't win."

"She'd better not go after MY boyfriend." Meyrin snatched Adam's arm.

"Ugh, Meyrin, can I have your hat? I need it as a barf bag." Shinn rolled his eyes. "I swear, if you two get any more lovey dovey, I'll get the Leg Flyer to sit on you."

"Whaaaaaaa!" Shinn was immediately flattened by the two young mechanics.

"You two are really going out? I mean, officially?" Youlan watched intently. Orange and red-pink nodded slowly. "YES! Pay up Vino."

"What? No way! There's no telling how long they've been going out. Just because we overheard it now doesn't mean they haven't been for a while. I may still have won!" The boy with the tuft of orange hair said.

"You just don't want to admit it. You lost the bet, Vino, and you know it." (AN: YES! I found his name! It took up to episode 19 but they finally said his name!)

"Bet?" Adam and Meyrin glared at the two boys quite intently.

"Well, we were kind of betting on when you two would finally start dating." Vino pushed his fingers together. "My guess was late last week."

"And mine was early this week. So which was it?" Youlan rubbed his hands together.

"You bet on another persons' relationship!" Meyrin squealed.

"That's sick!" Adam raised a fist.

As Adam and Meyrin were about to take it to the two mechanics, some loud cheering came from the outside, stopping them all. Vino and Youlan ran to the window to see, but they were just happy getting away from the violent couple. Shinn was lying on the floor still. "Ow."

The captain and the XO were walking down the platform to meet with the port commander as routine. Arthur talked as he walked. "Diocvia, eh? This is a pretty town, don't you think? It feels like ages since we came to such a wonderful place."

"We've had nothing but oceans, bases, and mountains for quite a while." The captain responded. "I think it would really pick up the crew if I gave them a little shore leave."

"Ah! I think everyone would love that, Captain."

A gathering and cheering crowd of ZAFT soldiers surrounded by two DINNs caught their attention a slight distance away. "Hmm? What's this?"

Even the civilians were gathering outside the fences. "Yes, what is going on?"

A video of a red 3D Haro bounced along a jumbotron screen as some peppy music started playing and the entire crowd started cheering like mad. A pink Zaku, being carried by an orange Zaku and a purple DINN slowly flew down to the stage. On the Zaku's shoulders were painted a red Haro and a heart. On the chest was engraved "LOVE" and on the shield was "LACUS CLYNE ALIVE." A certain overly-zeloused pink-haired girl stood in its hands waving.

"Hello everyone! Lacus Clyne is here!" She called down to them through the headset she had on. Her red Haro was with her, going _Boink! Flippy, flippy, flippy. Boink! Flippy, flippy, flippy._ The entire time. (AN: A good torture method, listening to that sound. Trust me, I know.) A helicopter flew above the descending suits. A certain black haired man smiled as they passed over the scene and began to land.

The window instantly turned into a viewing screen in the lounge, displaying Lacus descending. Vino got close up and his jaw dropped and his eyes sparkled. "Wow! Youlan! Check this!"

His fellow mechanic rushed up. "No way!" He looked to his friend. "Lucky!" They slapped hands.

Athrun fell back against the wall, his legs suddenly feeling weak. He covered his mouth with his hand as his eyes trembled. Lunamaria looked at him questioningly. He didn't respond, but in his head he had one thing going on. 'It can't be! M…MIA!'

Outside, Mia Campbell was bouncing to the music, waiting to start her performance. _Shizukana _**OH!**_ Kono yoru ni _**OH! **_Anata wo _**OH! **_Matteru no _**OH!  
**_Ano toki _**HEY! **_Wasureta _**HEY! **_Hohoemi wo _**HEY! **_Tori ni kite. _**HEY!**

Out of the orange Zaku, dismounted a young man in red uniform, his hair was orange, and he had small emerald green eyes. Upon closer look at his uniform, on his collar resided a FAITH emblem. He returned the salute of two soldiers as he went along with his duty, welcoming Gilbert Dullindal off of his transportation.

As the fake Lacus balanced on the moving hand of the mobile suit, the pilot bounced his head to the music. She hopped into the opposite hand as she continued to sing as the civilian crowd enjoyed the show as well. One of the crowd was a certain sandy-brown haired young woman who was now a freelance photographer. Her turquoise eyes narrowed in suspicion as she raised her camera to take pictures of her old friend.

Shinn, peeled off the floor of the lounge, walked calmly towards the show, and was quickly overtaken by Vino and Youlan, running at top speed and diving into the crowd. Meyrin, Athrun, Luna, and Adam all walked together. As Shinn stopped and tilted his head to one side in ponderance, the other four began to converse. "I can't believe that you didn't know she was coming here, Zala-daichou." Luna leaned forward and looked up at him innocently.

"Uh…well…no…actually…well…" He responded…sort of.

"Come on Luna," Adam said. "Do you really think they'd be able to contact each other when we're on a moving ship and she's on tour?" Inside, his thoughts were of a totally different nature. 'Something's up. He's not rejoicing that his fiancée is here.'

"Good point. Is that right, Athrun-san?"

"Um…well no…I mean…well…yeah I guess…." Once again, he was barely coherent.

Meyrin was also noticing the same things as Adam, at least she was until a mechanic bumped into her hard while running to the show. She yipped as she fell onto Athrun's arm. All three of the others were stunned. "Sumimasen Zala-san. Someone ran into me." She removed her grip from the man three years older than her as Luna slammed her wrists on her hips.

"It's dangerous to stand here like this. How about we get out of the way." He said as he guided the girl towards a less mainstream walkway as Meyrin looked over her shoulder to her boyfriend with a helpless look. Athrun did so with his hand on her hip. This simple motion had Adam and Luna mad. Adam was mad at the fact that he, an engaged man, would be leading a taken girl like that. Luna missed the look Meyrin gave and was mad at her for getting the attention that she wanted, believing that Meyrin was trying to steal him before she could get to him. They ran after him.

"You're not going to watch her perform?" Shinn asked, looking after them. "She's your fiancée after all."

"Eh? Umm…well…you see…yeah…I mean…I could…but…." Shinn wasn't picking up the signals that Adam and Meyrin had caught.

As the performance continued to go on, the captain and the XO were leaning up against a wall, forgotten for a while. Talia gasped as she looked to the end of the building. Dullindal was shaking an officer's hand. He noticed her and nodded. Her stun was broken as Arthur was bouncing to the music like a schoolgirl. "Ah moi! We got here at a lucky time!"

The woman quickly looked away from him, "I don't believe you…" She said loudly under her breath.

"Eh?" Arthur said, frozen in his pose. Gladys started to walk away.

Lacus, or rather, Mia, caught a large bouquet of flowers that was hurled at her from the ground. "Arigato! I'm quite happy to visit everyone today!" She stopped so the crowd could cheer. "ZAFT soldiers, you're so brave. I thank you with all my heart that you're doing your best to bring back peace! And to all you Diocvians as well! I'm sure that this war will end on a good note. Everyone please try your best to get there!"

Adam was doing the same thing to Meyrin as Athrun was, holding her by the hip, shooting daggers at him once in a while as the four watched the show. 'This is how you do it, Athrun Zala!' Athrun was deep in thought and missed the entire thing.

"Seeing her in person, now I know for sure. She's changed." Meyrin looked on with thoughtful eyes.

"Changed how?" Adam asked.

"I don't really know. I can't quite put my finger on it."

"Well, no!" Athrun was startled out of his trance. "Well…I…um…guess a little…but you…um…."

"Oh, I get it!" Luna rescued him. "It was her agent, wasn't it? They needed to change her image around a bit so she could cheer up everyone better! Right?"

"Um…well…no…er…yes…uh…I suppose." Athrun sighed.

A man in uniform walked up to the comically stuttering boy and saluted. "Sir, may I venture to guess that you are Athrun Zala?"

"Hai." He returned the salute.

"I was instructed to give this invitation to you." He handed the younger man a letter, saluted, and left.

Athrun opened up the letter and his eyes widened. "I guess today is full of surprises."

Three others were watching the performance from a parked car. One with sky blue hair, one with lime green hair, and one with golden blonde hair. Instead of their EAF "uniforms" they had their "civilian" clothes on, which were variant from Auel's punk black open vest, to Stellar's blue, white, and purple dress. Auel hopped into the back seat as Sting climbed into the driver's side, saying "unbelievable" as Stellar stared at nothing.

The car started to move. "No kidding." Auel slung back over both seats. "And those ZAFT were really enjoying it. In any case, we're still after that ship, right?"

"Yeah, I suppose. Well, that's Neo's plan, anyway. We can't care about how this war turns out, but if we're going to kill or be killed."

"Yeah, I guess." Auel said as Sting drove along the coastal road.

Stellar turned her head and gasped gleefully at the sparkling water with her mouth open wide, not having a care in the world. Sting continued. "That ship has been nothing but trouble, and we've failed each time, in spite of it all."

"We never really lost, you know!" Auel tweaked his mouth to one side.

"Unless we have an outright victory, we lose. We have to kill them. I'm sure you know that already, right?" Sting took a glance at the boy in his rear-view mirror. Stellar's eyes sparkled and she giggled as she saw some seagulls flying over the blue and white waves. "Phantom Pain can't fail. He's not allowed." The rest of the trip was made in silence, aside from Stellar's glee.

In a large hotel that looked more like a castle, three people met together. "Some times you completely amaze me, Chairman. Who would ever think that you'd be in a place like this?"

The Supreme Chairman laughed as he greeted his companions. "Were you surprised, Talia?"

"Yes, quite surprised." She said as Ray and she saluted the man. "Of course, it's not the first time…."

"You look well." He addressed the silent teen next to the captain. "I've heard that your performance has been doing well. I'm quite pleased."

In a totally uncharacteristic move, Ray smiled and his eyes shown like the afternoon sun. "Gil…"

"I suppose it's been a while since we actually had a chance to relax like this, hasn't it?" The expression on Ray's face was nothing less than pure happiness as his smile grew wider. In an even bolder move, he jumped into the Chairman's arms and gave him a huge hug, the only thing similar to it in this universe would be Stellar's reaction around Neo. Gilbert Dullindal returned the embrace as the Captain watched on, her eyes narrowing slightly, but unsurprised.

Lunamaria, Athrun, Shinn, and Adam were in a stretch limo. After sipping on an orange soda, Adam spoke up. "Man, I really wish we could have brought Meyrin along."

"It couldn't be helped, Adam." Athrun looked out the window. "The invitation said only the pilots would be going to the meeting."

"Did it say what kind of meeting it was?" Shinn asked before he chugged his cola.

"No. But whatever it is, it must have been important. It was on stationary that only the really high-ups use."

"Maybe we're going to be given a top secret mission?"

"I doubt that, Lunamaria." Athrun chuckled.

The car pulled to a stop at the giant hotel and the driver opened up the door for them. Luna's jaw dropped when she saw the place. "Woah! It's huge!"

The pilot of the orange Zaku walked down the stairs and stopped in front of them. Adam took notice. "Hey, cool! Orange! You and I are a rare breed, ne?" He pointed to his own hair, though it was a little lighter and shorter than the older boy's.

The pilot stayed silent. Athrun saw the pin and instantly saluted. The others followed after a moment. The FAITH member returned the salute and spoke. "I'll take you to them. Follow me."

Ray, Talia, and Dullindal (AN: I just can't say Gilbert without it sounding funny.) sat at a table that was brought outside, set for tea. "But, why, Chairman?" Gladys asked, "Is the Atlantic Federation on the move? If not, then you wouldn't be coming here yourself, am I right?"

Ray slipped into his normal character as footsteps approached. The FAITH officer slauted. "Excuse me, Supreme Chairman."

Adam and Shinn shared looks. "Supreme Chairman!" They instantly were fixing their open collars.

"The pilots from Minerva have come, as per your invitation."

"Yo!" The man said as he stood up and walked up to them. "It's been a long time, hasn't it, Athrun?"

The pilots saluted as the man with the long black hair offered his hand. After a moment looking at it, Athrun shook. "Hai, Chairman." The other pilots put their hands down as well.

"Oh, forgive me, and you are?" He addressed the girl next to Athrun as the other FAITH member left.

"Lunamaria Hawke desu." She said proudly.

He turned to the black haired boy. "Sh…Shinn Asuka desu!"

At the name, Dullindal smiled. "Ah yes, I remember quite a lot about you." Shinn was thinking about that time he was insulting Cagalli onboard Minerva in front of him, and he blushed in shame. "I've heard that your performance has been outstanding as of late." The man offered his hand. "_Someone_ has even put through a request for a decoration."

"Eh!" Shinn went wide eyed as the other three pilots turned to him with smiles on their faces.

"I'm sure the results will be delivered in short order." The man said with a sincere smile.

Shinn was happier than anyone other than Adam had ever seen him. "Arigato gozaimasu!" He said as he took the Chairman's hand.

Once the boy released it, Adam instantly had Shinn in a headlock and gave him a noogie. "Way to go you lucky sonofabitch!"

"Hey, what the…cut that out!" The Impulse pilot squirmed.

The Chairman laughed. "And who are you, young fellow?"

Both Adam and Shinn instantly froze and a split second later they were both at attention. "I apologize for my rudeness, Supreme Chairman. I am Adam Cancho."

"Oh, so you're the Cancho boy! I must say I was surprised when I received the Carpentaria report. To hear that a young man fleeing ORB flying a Gundam for his first time was able to withstand an attack from a battleship and its mobile suits and becoming a pilot on the strongest battleship in the ZAFT fleet would be unbelievable in any other time. I've been looking forward to shaking your hand since I first read the report." He extended his arm.

"I…I'm honored, sir!" Adam grasped the man's hand in a half state of shock.

"Iie. It is I who am honored. Please, all of you join us for tea." The Chairman swept his arm towards the table.

When they sat down Adam noticed someone by his side. "Oh hey, Ray. When did you get here?"

"So, Adam," The chairman intertwined his fingers and leaned his elbows on the table, "How is my good friend, Cagalli-hime? I haven't heard from her since I departed from Minerva before it went into the atmosphere."

"Cagalli-sama? I really didn't get to spend too much time with her before I had to leave. I suppose she's doing well physically, but she seemed to have a lot on her mind and none of it good."

"That's a shame. A girl of eighteen shouldn't have so many troubles. Perhaps I'll hear from her again soon." He took a sip of his tea. "Ah, excellent stuff. Speaking of excellent, I've heard of all your performances at the Lohengrin Gate. Especially you two, Shinn, Adam. One risking his life in pitch blackness relying on nothing but scout data and intuition to reach the goal, while the other literally taking a bullet for the innocent lives in the line of fire. I don't think there's a word in the dictionary worthy enough to describe such courage."

"I wouldn't say that at all." Shinn spoke with a shy smile.

"And you were the one that started it all off. Your first sortie was at Armory One, where you were quite impressive."

"I told you, man, you rock so hard!" Adam poked his friend.

"Please, Chairman, you're giving me more credit than I deserve. Especially with Lohengrin. Zala-daichou's plan, I just followed it. It was rather well thought out."

"I think you all should know that this town was liberated because of your victory there." Luna had a wide smile on, but Athrun stayed oddly stoic. "I can't praise you enough in my opinion."

"Thank you so much, Chairman." Luna bowed.

The man sighed. "Sadly, the world is in chaos at the moment." He sipped at his drink.

"What of space? What events have occurred up there?" The captain asked. "The EAF Lunar Base and all."

"The same, actually. A few small-scale skirmishes from time to time, but that's all. When it comes to Earth though, I haven't got a clue." He shrugged. "Same as here, there are those that oppose the Alliance and ask for assistance from us. Sometimes I wonder what in the world we're all doing."

"So there aren't any indications of a ceasefire or an end to hostilities?" The captain gave a side glance to her friend and lover.

"None whatsoever, sadly." He put his chin next to his intertwined hands. "The Alliance won't concede, even though they are at an obvious disadvantage. Though I want us to be rid of this war, there's nothing I can do about it. I probably shouldn't be talking to those of the military about this, but the path to end fighting and stop the battles is a much harder to find than the wide warpath."

"But…" Adam and Shinn said at the same time. They looked at each other, but sunk their heads down. "Sumimasen."

"No, no. Go on. I don't mind. Please, say what's on your mind without reservation. All your opinions are important to me, because you have actually fought. One of the purposes for inviting you here was to do exactly that. So please…."

Shinn sighed. "I agree that it's best to avoid fighting whenever possible. But if you're threatened, fighting isn't something that can be avoided. Fighting must be done when the times call for it. We won't be able to protect anything, even ourselves, if we don't." All of his companions wore a look of surprise. "Those whose normal lives are peaceful have to be protected!"

"I have to agree with Shinn." Adam said while making sure his best friend was finished. "Even in our enemy nations, there are still people who live peacefully. My parents are back in ORB waiting for the day that the world will stop tailspinning into destruction, and I'm sure others feel that way too. Those are the people we don't want to harm. Those are the people that need protecting, even if they say they don't want it. If we're to attack the enemy, it can't be the civilians in any way, even if it's not deadly force. Look how the EAF treated those people. They were enslaved, tortured, and beaten. No, I can't stand for that. The only ones we can and should kill is the enemy military."

Athrun lowered his head slightly. "But, if we do that…" Everyone turned their heads to look at the FAITH member as he raised his head again. " 'Killing because someone was killed…Being killed because you killed…Is that really going to lead to peace?' A friend asked me that once. I couldn't answer back then, and even now, I haven't found an answer. Yet I'm back in this uniform, and back in battle once again."

"Yes. That indeed is where the problem resides." The Chairman stood up and walked to the railing as the others and the orange-haired FAITH officer looked on. "Why is this fight so endless? Why is it that war has never been eliminated? Every era has begged for a stop to it, and in spite of it all, it still goes on. Why do you think it is as it is, Shinn?"

"Eh?" The question took him off guard. "My guess would be that people like the Blue Cosmos and the Atlantic Federation, selfish idiots like those, exist in all times."

Adam spoke up too. "It's true. Racism has long been a problem since recorded history of man. Even now, a tolerant nation like ORB has become intolerable because of its law banning Coordinators. Because of that, I barely escaped with my life."

"Am I wrong in my assumption, Chairman?" Shinn looked up to the man.

"Iie. It's quite true, but only part of the reason. 'I want what another has. They're not like us…they're hateful, scary, and mistaken.' There's no doubt that people fight for things such as these. But there's an even more confusing reason, and it is even harder to be saved from. It's another side to war, the hidden one."

"Eh?" Shinn and Luna said in surprise as they looked around and at each other.

"Look at this new unit." He pointed to the orange Zaku in plain view from the balcony. The pilot of that suit became a little stunned as well at the mention of his suit. "ZGMF-X2000 GOUF Ignited. It's a brand new model only recently sent out by the factories, but we're in a war right now after all. One after another, more units will be made, and new ones will be created. When in battle, missiles are fired, mobiles suits go down, and many things are destroyed." Athrun's mind was replaying scenes from the last war in his head as the wizened man spoke. "Thus, factories constantly make more of them all and send them into battle. This is true for all sides. Production can't keep up with demand at some point."

"Chairman, do you mean..." Athrun said.

The highly statused man continued. "Think about how much it costs to make this one unit. If this were treated as an industry, there wouldn't be anything in existence with higher turnover or profits earned."

All of the pilots let out a surprised tone and the captain spoke. "Chairman, talking about something such as this…."

"But that can't mean…" Shinn was almost in disbelief.

"It's a fact when it comes to war, yes. There's nothing we can do about it." Shinn felt dejected. "But when it comes to profit, humans are the only ones that will instantly think differently once they realize it. This is also something we are helpless to change."

"What do you mean 'the opposite,' sir?" Adam was listening intently.

"If war ended, there would be no need for weapons." Dullindal continued as Athrun once again reminisced. "Thus, there would be no profit in it. But it's quite lucrative for them if wars do come around. And thus, they would want wars to exist, by any means necessary. 'Those people are enemies! We'll fight because they're dangerous! We'll fight because they attacked us. We'll never forgive.' People have been crying those words for all of time, those who think of war as industry and have made them by themselves for their own profit." One image came to Athrun's mind, and he glanced at his fellow FAITH officer. His hair style looked eerily similar to the former leader of Blue Cosmos, Muruta Azrael. His attention snapped back to the Chairman. "Even now, the shadows of war hide them, but the Logos are definitely there. They are the ones that gave birth to Blue Cosmos. And that's why it's so difficult. As long as those people tug at the strings, Earth and PLANT will fight. If there's something, anything, that I can do, I would like to do it."

"I can hardly believe it…." Shinn whispered. His mind once again returned to the day his family was killed.

"But in difficulty in and of itself, anything else is chump change." Everyone was almost completely silent until they finished their second cup of tea. The pilots had a lot to think about.

As the group walked down the hall, Lunamaria spoke up. "Are you sure it's all right?"

"Of course, Luna." The captain said. "You're all on leave today, and the Chairman has offered it as a favor. That was the second part of the invitation, so relax here for tonight. You all definitely deserve it for all you've done."

Luna, Shinn, and Adam shared looks. "Go right ahead and do that, Lunamaria, Shinn, Adam. I'll just return…."

"No, daichou, I'll return to the ship." Ray spoke up. "Please feel free to stay here."

"No, I couldn't do that."

"The Commander and Shinn are the two ZAFT aces of Minerva and most definitely deserve the reward. Adam, though new, has gone through a lot and should also enjoy his stay. Lunamaria is a lady, and it is proper for her to stay, but I am not saying that she does not also deserve it. It's only logical and proper that I return."

"Well, I'm honored that you think so highly of me, Ray, even though I called you a stick-in-the-mud." Adam said as Ray tipped on his side and the Chairman laughed. "But I think I'm the one that should go back. I wouldn't want to leave Meyrin out and I want to spend some more time with her, so I'll go back."

Dullindal sent a questioning glance at Gladys. She smiled and she raised her pinky finger. The Chairman laughed and the entire procession stopped. "Could it be? A romance aboard your ship, Talia? So young man, who's the lucky young lady?" He said, turning to Adam.

"M…Meyrin Hawke, sir." Adam blushed and broke eye contact.

"Hawke, you say?" He turned to Luna. "Your sister I presume?"

"Hai. Although I don't know what she sees in him." She added under her breath. Adam slumped and let his arms dangle in front of him.

The Chairman laughed again. "It takes all kinds, my dear girl, it takes all kinds. Love is found in the most unexpected places, but I don't intend to give a lecture on that any time soon." He placed a hand on Adam's shoulder and the boy straightened up. "I think we can arrange it so that your girlfriend can stay as well."

"Really?" Adam said for a moment as the man nodded, "No, I couldn't possibly let you go through all that trouble for Meyrin and myself."

"Oh come now, it's no trouble at all. Or do you forget who you're talking to?" He smiled confidently.

Adam turned his eyes to his captain and his commander, they both nodded with smiles on their faces. He turned back to the man. "Arigato gozaimashta!" He bowed, but his celebration was cut short with a thought. "Oh…" He turned to the blonde boy. "Sorry Ray."

"I expected to go back anyway." He shrugged. "But thank you for your efforts. Go on and fetch Meyrin."

"Yes!" He saluted the Chairman. "If you would pardon my leave, Supreme Chairman."

The man laughed again and returned the salute. "Permission granted and I hope to see you in the future."

"The same to you, sir." He said as he lowered his arm and ran off. Calling over his shoulder he said, "I'll see the rest of you later, guys!"

Just then a bouncing red ball came around the corner. "Wa-hey! Hello there!" It said as it jumped at Adam.

"Nani!" It caught Adam off guard, and when it bounced into his hands, he lost is balance and fell backwards. "Oooff!"

The disastrous little ball rolled to the side of Adam's head and he turned to look at its two sensor-eyes. "Haro had an oopsy. Sorry, hey!" It extended one of its miniature robotic arms and patted Adam's forehead before bouncing towards the group.

"Did what I think just happen, happen?" Adam asked to the ceiling.

"Athrun!" A certain pink-haired pop-star emulator came around the corner, completely not seeing Adam as she ran over top of him towards the group.

Adam flopped over in pain. "High…heels…ggguuuuhhh!"

The girl continued to run towards them, attempting to hold her extremely loose skirt on her hips. Athrun's eyes started to tremble and he slipped into stuttering mode again. "Mi…!" He said out loud.

Mia stopped in front of the Chairman and the Captain. Dullindal smiled, "Well, if it isn't the ever popular Lacus Clyne. Thank you for putting on this performance for us. Your work for us must be hard."

"Thank you very much, Chairman, but it isn't any trouble at all." She bowed. The Chairman stepped aside knowingly and she drove straight for Athrun, bumping Lunamaria rather hard in the process. "I came as fast as I could, Athrun! When I heard you were staying in the hotel, you couldn't imagine how happy I was!" She glomped him…literally.

Athrun was pushed back on one foot. "M…Mi…." He stopped himself again.

Shinn looked on with a stunned look and Lunamaria attempted to kill the girl with her stare. "Were you able to catch my performance?" The Lacus emulator asked.

"Uh…yes…of course…."

"Really! You've got to tell me how it went! Your opinion is the one that matters to me most after all."

"Uh…um…well…you see…." Athrun went on stuttering while Luna turned away in disgust.

Sensing that Athrun needed saving, the Chairman stepped in. "I've invited them to stay and rest for the night, Lacus." Luna was in shocked hatred when she realized that this girl would be staying too. "I think you should take this opportunity in hand and at least have dinner together. It's not often that such a busy couple can meet up after all." Shinn was dumbfounded.

Athrun's face was completely numb and looked like it was in a stunned slouch as Mia rejoiced. "Really? We can? That would be so great!" She wrapped herself around his arm and leaned into him as he said absolutely nothing. "Athrun, let's hurry and make our reservations!"

Ray noticed the orange-haired boy on the carpet and started to walk over to him as the Chairman spoke again. "Before you two do that, can I borrow Athrun for a moment, Lacus?" The entire group looked surprised at his request.

Ray knelt down and tapped the boy on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"High…heels…should be banned." Adam said as he sat up shaking the pain out of his head. "Unh, daijobu. I think."

"You should get going if you want to catch up with Meyrin."

"Oh yeah, thanks Ray." Adam stood up painfully.

"Meyrin!" Adam yelled as he saw her.

She spun around and smiled. "Adam! How'd it go? What was the meeting about?"

Adam looked around the lounge, and noticed some people there. "I'll tell you in private, come on."

He took her to his room and they sat on his bed. Well, Meyrin sat on his bed, he just flopped back. "So? Tell me!"

"I met Supreme Chairman Gilbert Dullindal."

"You WHAT!"

"I shook his hand. He asked all the pilots to join him for tea. We talked about all sorts of things." He sat up and held his girlfriend. "And he showed me that now, more than ever, how important it is to protect the ones you love."

"Wow, Adam you are so lucky!"

"That's not the only surprise of the day." He said as he held her hands. "Meyrin, you know that big castle-like building in the center of town?"

"Yeah…what about it?"

"How'd you like to stay there tonight?"

Meyrin's jaw almost dropped through the floor as she caught the look in his eyes. "You're serious, aren't you?" Adam nodded. "How…."

"The Chairman let all of us pilots stay there for the night. I wasn't planning on taking up the offer because I didn't want you to miss out. When he heard that, he pulled a few strings and got another room for you too."

"Oh, Adam!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "That would be wonderful."

"So go grab a few of your things, and I'll do the same."

"Uh-huh. I'll hurry up." Meyrin said as she got up and went to the door.

Meyrin stopped at a strange ring emanating from Adam's pocket. "Huh?" He pulled out his orange cell. "Who would be calling me? Shinn left his phone here." He shrugged at Meyrin as he answered it. "Moshi moshi….Oh, hey Chibi…."

He quickly pulled the phone away from his ear. "I TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL ME CHIBI!" Meyrin giggled as Adam cleaned out his ear.

"Yeah, it's good to hear from you too….What? It's not my fault you can't take a joke…. Okay, I'm sorry. Sheesh. So what's up?...Yeah, she's in really bad shape….So spill already!...Really? Where? … I'm in Doicvia…. That close? Wow! Thanks, Connie! I'll talk to the captain about that right away! … Okay, I will…. Keep in touch. Bye bye." Adam shut his phone. "YES!" He said as he flopped back on his bed.

"What was that about?" Meyrin asked.

"Oh, that was Ms. Conille from Lohengrin. She found a really good mobile suit parts customizer that could probably make some spare parts for Falcon. She says hi, by the way."

"That's great Adam!" Meyrin rejoiced.

"I'll have to talk with the captain about heading there for a meeting. So I may be a little late heading to the hotel. You should go on ahead. Luna is staying there, and so is our favorite pop star, Lacus Clyne."

Meyrin went silent at the mention of the other pink-haired girl. She clenched her hands tightly together. "Adam, her dresses…I mean…well…if I dressed more like her, would you find me more attractive?"

"First off, finding you more attractive would be impossible." He got up and stroked her cheek. "Second, if you dressed like her, I'd find you LESS attractive."

"Less?"

"Come on, anyone who shows off that much in public gets an instant label on her forehead marked 'SLUT.' Get what I'm trying to say?"

The pigtailed girl nodded. "Thanks, Adam."

Adam was trotting down the hall when he saw a man with gray-green hair go into the next corridor. "Hey XO, wait up!" He picked up the pace to catch up.

"Eh? Ah, Adam! What can I do for you?" He said, turning around.

"XO, do you know if the captain has come back yet?"

"She should be back by now, why?"

"Because I need to talk to her and you. I also need a map of the area."

"Well, we can get all of that in her ready room. I was on my way to the bridge, so we can head there instead."

"Hai." The two men took the short walk to the captain's chamber.

Arthur rang the buzzer. "Enter." The captain called from within.

The door slid open and Arthur stepped in and saluted. "Excuse me ma'am, but Pilot Cancho would like a few words with you."

"Send him in." Adam walked in and saluted the superior officer. She returned the salute. "You may be seated."

"Arigato." He said.

"Well, now that the formalities are out of the way, what's on your mind, Adam?" Talia leaned onto her desk.

"I just got some information about a mobile suit parts customization shop within 5 miles of Diocvia from our informant from Lohengrin."

"And so, how does this affect us?"

"I'm aware that with our present resources, we cannot fabricate replacement parts for the missing sections of Falcon. Ms. Conille believes that this shop will be able to help us out in that respect."

"What are this store's records and its qualifications?"

"I don't have that information, sadly."

She pulled up a map on her screen. "Where is it?"

"Right here." He pointed at the northwestern section of the screen.

After a moment of conference with herself, she spoke again. "Very well. This is a short trip, and we'll make it early in the morning tomorrow. These sorts of shops don't give cheap parts. Arthur," The man stood at attention. "You're a good negotiator and knows this ship's budget. I'm assigning you to go along with Adam and Falcon."

"H…hai!"

"Also, I'd like you to take one of our mechanics along with you. They know Falcon as much as you do, so they should be of more input while the repairs are being made. That is, if this store meets Arthur's approval. Feel free to choose which mechanic."

After a moment of thought, Adam smiled. "How about Vino?"

"Vino it is then." Gladys typed something into her computer. "We'll have Falcon loaded into a ZAFT MS Carrier. It will be lifting off at 5 AM sharp. Everyone is to be on board by then, understood?"

"Yes ma'am!" Adam stood up and saluted. "Thank you, ma'am."

"You're quite welcome, Adam." She said as she returned the salute. "Now go on, isn't your girlfriend waiting for you?"

"Oh, that's right!" Adam said as he dashed off.

Arthur walked up to the desk. "A freelance parts maker?"

"Yes."

"That's troublesome. They make things for both sides."

"I know, but it can't be helped. As of right now, Falcon is at only half of its full capability. I'm counting on you, Arthur."

"Hai!"

"Lumi!" Meyrin hugged her big sister as she entered the ornate room.

"Hey, Mirei. How do you like the place so far?" She returned the embrace.

"Oh it's beautiful here. I feel so out of place! Oh, hi Shinn!" Shinn waved as he turned back to the window he was looking out of, at the fountain in the garden, or more accurately, the three people gathered there.

"So where's Adam?" Luna asked, sitting down at the large dining table.

"Probably talking with the captain right now. He found a way to get Falcon back to normal." She joined her.

"That's good news." Shinn spoke at the window. 'Just what are they talking about out there?'

"The thing is, Athrun…" The Chairman turned his back to the 18 year old. "I was going to ask you about the Archangel." Athrun let out a surprised tone as Mia's Haro bounced around in her lap as she sat on a park bench. "I'm sure you've heard about it by now."

"Hai."

"So, after it left ORB, where did it go? I thought there might be a chance, however slight, that you might know."

"I'm sorry, but no. It has been disturbing me for a while now, but I know probably just as much as you do. The ironic thing is, I was going to ask you the same question."

The Chairman narrowed his eyes ever so slightly. "I see. If Archangel, along with Freedom have deserted ORB, I wonder if she, the real Lacus Clyne, is onboard."

"Hai. There's no doubt at that. Not only would the Coordinator ban there force her to leave, but Kira…. I mean, the ship wouldn't leave her behind." He just barely caught himself.

"I see. With the way things are, I was looking for her to convince her to return to PLANT. I hope you understand this." He sighed. "I wonder if she's sick of us for letting the past repeat itself."

The moment was disturbed by the now let loose Haro as it bounced up and down next to Athrun. "Hello! Hello! Good-bye! Yay!"

"I'm sorry for troubling you with this, but, if that ship contacts you, could you let me know?"

"Yes, I will." The black haired Chairman turned to leave. "I'm sorry, but could I ask the same of you? If you know of where they are or how they're doing, could you contact me as well?"

"Ah, of course. I definitely will."

With that said, Mia got up and ran up to Athrun, as the red ball continued to _Boink!_ Shinn looked on from the window as the meeting ended. He turned back to sit down for dinner.

"Wow!" Adam said as he entered the room. "Meyrin, your room is way better than mine!"

"Come on, they're all the same and you know it." She giggled.

"Yeah well, I don't care. Any room that has you in it is instantly better."

Meyrin blushed like her hair. "So, did you talk to the captain?"

"Hai. I'll be visiting them tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow…" She yawned. "Morning? But that means that I won't be able to wake you up."

"I know, I'm sorry Meyrin. But I have to do this, so I can protect you." He kissed her cheek.

"I know." She yawned again. "Man, I'm beat. I'm really tired. Sorry, Adam, but it looks like I'm going to be zonking out on you soon."

"It's okay, I'm kind of sleepy myself. I guess I should give you a good night kiss then."

"That would be nice." She said with her eyes half open.

They pressed lips, and instantly, Meyrin went limp in his arms. When he pulled away from her, he chuckled lightly. 'She fell asleep. My kisses must be really boring.' He laid her on her bed and covered her with the sheets. After a quick kiss on her forehead, he turned off the lights and went to the door. "Oyasumi nasai, Meyrin Hawke." He whispered.

Meyrin stirred in her sleep. "Adam, oyasumi."

Adam smiled as he closed the door silently. He looked up to see Shinn and Lunamaria staring at him. They shared a wordless conversation, and left to their separate rooms with smiles on their faces.

Life Goes On.

Chapter 9 Preview: In a small area in the rocky hills, a young pilot finds a treasure trove in the form of a shop. Although, the shopkeeper raises suspicions, Adam pursues his goal. Will he get what he needs, or will the cost be too great? And what is this about resource trade? Next time on Old Friends Anew: Bargaining and Bartering. Find yourself the perfect contract, ShEZAMS!


	9. Old Friends Anew Ch 9

Old Friends Anew

Phase-9: Bargaining and Bartering

The phone rang on Adam's nightstand. He stirred. "What do you mean we don't have any more sandpaper?" The boy muttered in his sleep. As the phone continued to ring, he pulled his pillow over his head and reached for it. His reach extended and extended until…THUD! He fell off the bed. "Ouch." With the receiver in his hand he sighed. "Moshi moshi."

"Good morning, Cancho-san, this is your wakeup call."

"Wakeup call? I don't remember asking for one. What time is it?" He sat up and scratched.

"4 AM sir."

Adam's face grew to twice its normal size. "WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MINDS WOULD GIVE A WAKEUP CALL AT 4 AM?" The receptionist at the other end held the phone as far away from his face as possible as the hot air Adam was spewing blew off his toupee. "WHO AUTHORIZED THIS?"

"Y…your superior sir…Arthur Trine."

"Did he leave a reason for this rather rude interruption?" Adam snarled.

"Yes, sir. Allow me to read it. 'This wake up call for Mr. Adam Cancho will be given at 4 AM this morning authorized by Minerva's First Officer, Arthur Trine. Adam must get up at this time or he will miss his flight. Thank you for the inconvenience.'" He said while putting his toupee back on his head in a haphazard manner.

"It certainly is an inconvenience." The boy said under his breath, and a little more loudly. "Oh yes! How could I have forgotten? Thank you for the trouble. Bye now!" He slammed the phone down in its cradle hard, and the receptionist's hairpiece blew off and splatted against the wall.

Adam dragged himself along the halls of Minerva, his eyes half open, arms dangling at his sides as he munched on a breakfast sandwich in his mouth which only his lips were holding on to. He came across Vino in the same way and signaled him with an "Umph" from his full mouth.

Vino's eyes glared hatred at the orange-haired boy. "You're really gonna pay for this. I needed the extra sleep." He shook his sandwich at his counterpart.

"Whaf vo you thunk phefe awe?" Adam pointed to his eyes without removing his sandwich from his mouth.

"What did you say?"

Adam removed his sandwich. "I said, 'What do you think these are?' I've got so many bags under my eyes I need a luggage rack."

"What's the big idea dragging us both out of bed anyway? And why me?"

"You mean you haven't been told?"

"No, why?"

"Ah, good morning you two!" Arthur marched up in his black uniform with a smile on his face. Adam and Vino shared a look, stared at the XO, and back at each other again. "Chop chop, we have to get going."

Adam pointed to his superior. "How come you're so chipper? It's freaking 4:45 on a shoreleave day."

Arthur looked around for a second then pulled out a thermos from his inner pocket. "Double caffeinated coffee, really wakes you up on those really tough days." He unscrewed the top and poured some into a cup. Okay, poured isn't the word, it kinda just slithered into the cup. He handed it to them. "Try some."

"Ugh!" Vino pushed it away with just one look. "Sorry, I don't drink anything that I would use to oil the Silhouette Flyer."

Adam tapped the side of the cup. It tapped back with triple the force. "What is this, Flubber's distant cousin? Oh hey, I just made a product placement! YOU'RE WELCO…oh I just don't feel like it this morning. Anyway, I think it's a little strong for me."

"Strong?" Arthur took the cup back. "I think this batch is a little weak today."

"WEAK?" The two boys yelled in surprise.

Arthur cleaned out his ear. "Ah, yes, weak. Here, look." He pulled out a china tea plate and placed it on the floor.

"Why do you have a piece of fine china in your pocket?" Adam raised an eyebrow.

"Um…that's not important. Watch." Arthur flipped the cup over the plate from full height. The concoction slowly made a suctioning sound as it released from the cup in one large glob. It plummeted to the plate and hit with a WHAM that made the floor under the boys to jump. Once the mixture started wobbling Arthur and the others crouched down. "See? See? Didn't even crack the plate."

Adam and Vino sweatdropped as they stood up. The mechanic whispered to the pilot. "I think we just found out why he's so jumpy all the time."

"Anyway, come on you two. We have to get aboard the ZAFT huzonki (carrier jet) before it lifts off at 5."

Adam, Vino, and Arthur walked into the cargo hold of the jet, where Falcon already was, its feet pointing towards the hatch. The pilot called back to them over the intercom. "Glad to see you three made it. I was going to leave without you."

"Don't worry, we're all good. Let's kiss the skies." Adam said after a yawn.

"Roger that." The pilot spoke again. "Get yourselves buckled in." Within a few moments, the starboard catapult was opened and the carrier was shot out into the sky.

After the seatbelt sign was turned off Vino unbuckled and stood in front of his two counterparts. "Now will someone please tell me what this is about?"

"Sure. The answer's right behind you." Adam pointed to Falcon. "We don't have the parts for her and we can't make them."

"So what? She's still a great mobile suit."

"Half of her capabilities are in flight mode, Vino, you know that. It's just like Savior in that respect." Arthur stood up and stretched.

"So we're going to get my suit some parts." Adam hopped on top of his mobile suit and opened the hatch. He slipped in and did his routine check.

"But..." Vino turned to Arthur, "that means…" back to Adam "oh no." He slapped his forehead and drew his hand down his face.

"Yep, that's right." Adam climbed out of his machine and sat on top of it. "A parts shop."

"A freelancer! Do you have any idea how much trouble those guys are? Man I hate freelancers."

"You shouldn't complain. We have no choice because when it comes to making parts, you're useless."

Adam's comment made Vino slump and dangle his arms down at his sides. He whirled around and waved a fist. "I am NOT useless!"

"No one is useless on Minerva." Arthur put his hand on both the boys' shoulders. "We're all here to get Falcon into tip-top shape, and we're going to do it too."

The pilot called from the intercom. "Hey pilot boy, come up here for a second would you?"

Adam shrugged and walked up to the cockpit. "What's up?"

"Where's this place I'm supposed to drop you guys off? I'm right around the area."

"You got a camera or some sensor readings from below us?" Adam scratched his head.

"Yeah." He hit a button and it displayed on a screen. "Here it is."

"Let's see, Chibi said it would be in a dried up riverbed between two cliffs." He saw something shiny reflect off the surface, actually a lot of shiny things. "There! Right there!"

"That's the spot?"

"Pretty sure."

"Okay. Tell your buddies to get strapped in back there."

"Yokhai." He saluted before he hopped back into cargo hold.

Vino sweatdropped. "This…isn't a parts shop." He said at the piles of metal around the entrance. "It's a freaking junkyard!"

"I beg to differ. This is definitely a craftsman's shop. Look at the entrance arch." Arthur pointed out.

"Dude…it's two Zaku heads with GINN arms on top of them holding deactivated beam sabers."

"Exactly. Someone had to get them into just the right position and weld them like that. This is art from war."

"Rrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiight." Vino rolled his eyes.

"Are we going in or what?" Adam stepped forward. He must have stepped on something, because the beam sabers angled down and turned on, crisscrossing the entrance. Adam jumped back. "Woah! What the hell?"

"Who goes there?" A voice called out from the gate. The Zaku head on the left turned its eye towards the group.

Vino noticed it and pointed it out to Adam. Adam bent down and got in its "face." "Hey what's the big idea? You could have fried me there!"

"Standard procedures. A lot of unfriendly characters around here." The man on the other side of the microphone answered. "Identify yourselves and your purpose."

"I told you freelancers were trouble." Vino crossed his arms.

The other Zaku eye turned towards the orange-tufted boy. "I heard that, kid."

"Eh, bite me."

"I'd get food poisoning."

"Why you…!"

"That's enough, Vino, Adam." Arthur approached. "I am Arthur Trine, first officer onboard the ZA…."

"Woah woah woah, pops. I don't care about any affiliations here. Just tell me what you gotta talk to me about."

Arthur's eyebrow twitched. "'Pops?'" He shook it off. "Anyway, this is pilot Adam Cancho and mechanic Vino Dupre. We need some parts for Adam's mobile suit."

"Why come to me? You have resources to replace parts don't you?"

"Yeah well, my suit is a bit different." Adam crossed his arms.

"What kind of model is it?"

"Astray M-3."

The voice paused for a second. "Never heard of it."

"It's one of a kind."

"You're wasting my time kid. No way you could get your hands on an Astray from ORB. The only freelance ones were the Red Blue and Gold Frames from the original Astray project, and they're all accounted for."

"Oh you know what? Who needs you!" Adam kicked the Zaku in the eye. "What the hell is your problem? You came highly recommended from one of my friends, and I'm starting to think that she was wrong. Low-skill marketers like you suck. I bet you can't even spell Gundam let alone work on one."

"I most certainly can! Wait, did you say Gundam?"

"That's right, Gundam. A one of a kind, Astray modeled Gundam. Too tough for you?" Adam kicked the eye twice more.

The beam sabers turned off. "Come in. But don't touch anything!"

The three shipmates looked at each other and shrugged before they went in.

The front entrance turned out to be a bit of a ways away from the actual building. The front "walkway" was lined with sculptures made out of scrap MS parts. "Well, he certainly is creative." Arthur said.

Vino was getting more and more impressed as they got closer. "Woah!" He ran up to one sculpture that looked like a metallic king cobra. "I don't believe it!"

"What is it this time, Vino? We've stopped 6 times already. It's almost 7 AM, you're holding us up." Adam said.

"Sorry, I just had to stop and look at this. Look at that shield that doubles as the head. Look at it! That's an exact replica of one of the shield weapon from the Shenron, a mobile suit of legend!"

"There are a lot of parts spanning all types of mobile suits. Think it might be real?"

"Nah. Shenron, HeavyArms, DeathScythe, and SandRock were only myth. Although it would be cool to see one. It's a great fake though."

They got to the main building, which wasn't a building at all really, it was a wooden façade on the front of a large tent covered in camouflage. When no one came out to greet them, Arthur knocked on the door. No one answered. They opened the door and stepped inside. All three of them sweatdropped. If possible, it was dirtier inside than outside. Workable mobile suit parts were scattered all over the place either half finished or failed experiments. "Hello?" Adam called out when he heard a cranking noise.

"Be right…with you…!" The voice said, muffled and straining.

"Fine." Adam said, crossing his arms. "Geez this place is a dump."

"Hey, I like my mess where it is!"

"Yeah just keep talking. Maybe I'll actually find out where you are."

"Who me? I'm under the data analysis computer in the back of the tent. She's been acting up and I've had to replace a few wires." The panel lit up and the computer's parts started to activate. "Come on, sing for me baby, sing!" The computer started shutting down again. "No, come on! No! No! Nooooooooooooooooooo!" Sparks flew from the console as electricity coursed through the man's body.

"Oh no!" Arthur leapt over a table as he and the others ran towards the man being electrocuted.

The console emitted a large burst of smoke with a FOOM! "WHOOOOOOOOO!" The man said as he got out from under the machine. "WHAT A RUSH!"

The three visitors sweatdropped as they coughed and fanned away the smoke. "You alright?" Vino coughed.

The smoke cleared and revealed the face of the man. Technically he wasn't even a man at all, he was no older than 18, with red hair that was currently standing on end with hazel eyes. He was no better built than Athrun or Ray, and he wore jeans with an open brown and yellow jacket. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm used to it. Happens about once a week, sometimes more." He tapped the wrench he was holding on his shoulder. After wiping the sweat and grease off his face with the other hand, he held it out to the three unwittingly. "The name's Alan Sheridan. Nice to meet you." The three looked at the extremely greasy hand and no one took it. Alan noticed it himself and got a rag. "Eh, sorry about that. And about the less than pleasant welcome. I've had some rather un-nice customers lately. Forced me to make an atmospheric booster pack, can you believe that?" The others just stood there unspeaking. "Well, come into my office and we'll talk business, whatsay?"

"That sounds excellent, lead the way." Arthur spoke up.

The red-head took all of two steps to a drawing table. "Okay, what do you need?" The three sweatdropped.

"Well first off, meaning no disrespect of course, we were wondering if you could be so kind as to…hm, how to put this…hm…." Arthur began to ponder.

"Drop the formalities. The free world ends at that gate and the Sheridan dictatorship starts there, and I say drop the frufru. I like to cut to the chase."

"He's saying we want to see your credentials, see if you're up to his standards and such." Adam sighed.

"Oh, oh yeah. Should have seen that coming." He started to rummage around. "It's a good thing I…" He completely toppled one of his works in the search. "have this already...aha! Prepared!" He came back with a rolled up piece of paper. He unrolled it and showed it to them. Adam and Vino developed small nosebleeds while Arthur just coughed. "What?" Alan looked at what he unrolled. It was a very voluptuous woman in a very compromising position. Of course every position would be compromising when you're naked like that. "Um, no. That's the wrong thing." He rolled it up again, but after a moment he unfurled it again and showed it to them. "Rowr!" After that, he rolled it up for sure this time and tossed it behind him as he continued his search.

"Is this dude for real?" Adam whispered to Arthur.

"Bingo!" Alan cried as he came up and unfurled a list that went down all the way to his feet. "A list of every single customer I have had since I started this up two years ago. Quite a long list, no? I'm sure this proves my point."

"Those names could easily be forged." Arthur crossed his arms. "And even if they are real customers, we have no proof of their satisfaction."

"Oh come on, man! Don't you trust me? What do I have to do to prove it? I'd kill to work on a Gundam."

"Show us one of your most recent works, how about that?" Vino said as he looked at…something…on another table. "That would work, wouldn't it?" He turned to Arthur.

"Ah, hai." The man scratched his forehead.

"Well, if it's to work on a Gundam, I guess I will have to." Alan sighed and scratched his back with his wrench. "Follow me."

All four negotiated their way around obstacles and came out the other side of the tent. Alan stopped in front of a large tarp. "I wasn't going to show this to anyone until I finished overhauling it, but, here it is." He ripped the tarp away and showed a huge pure white mobile suit backpack that shown in the morning sun.

Arthur and Vino went completely stiff. "No way." Vino said. "Masaka!"

"Alewa…that's…." Arthur could barely get the words out.

"Meteor." They both whispered.

"Yep, I was one of the major developers on the project. This third one never made it out to space, so I took it home with me. I've been working on some modifications for it. If that doesn't prove it for you than nothing will."

"Time out!" Adam stepped between them. "What the hell is Meteor? And why are you all so impressed by it?"

"The Meteor heavy weapons packs, only two were known to exist." Arthur said, his eyes still locked on the weaponry.

"These packs saved all of PLANT when nukes were fired at them in the first war." Vino was still in awe.

"The two mobile suits that used these packs were the Freedom and the Justice." Arthur finished.

"Then that means, Kira Yamato and Athrun Zala…they were the pilots?" Adam put all the pieces together. "Wow. Zala-daichou is really something after all."

"So." Alan leaned up against the machine. "Do I have your business?"

"You've got it." Arthur said as he offered his hand.

"Good." Alan said as he shook it. "Let's step back into my office and talk about what needs done and the prices."

"Excellent idea." Arthur said. "Vino, come with me, you'll be giving the report. Adam, you go get Falcon and fly it back here, if that's okay with you, Sheridan-san."

"Fine by me. Just park your metallic butt by ShEZAMS."

"ShEZAMS?" The other three said all at once.

"Nevermind. Just put it in the back."

Back in the "office" Vino handed him a pad with all of Falcon's specs. "We don't have anything that can make Phase Shift armor in the shape of the nose, or that compact Reflector Shield. Those are the three parts we need, possibly with spares."

Alan reviewed the report and scratched his chin. "Well the nose itself won't be too hard to make, and you guys can match the frequency of the armor right?" Vino nodded. "Okay, I'll leave that to you then. The big problem is the Reflector Shield. That's a rather new thing on the market recently. I could probably make one, maybe two if I'm lucky, but it's really complex. That'll be the most costly part, I'd say."

"Any guess at the cost?" Arthur got down to the point.

"Can I borrow this for about an hour?" He pointed to the pad. "I'll make up some drawings and bring them out. I'll let you know the price then."

Vino shrugged. "I have no problems with that. Just to let you know, that pad is encrypted, you won't be able to copy it to another computer."

"Okay. I got it. Enjoy your stay, please, have some coffee…if you can ever find the coffee machine. I'll be back in an hour." Alan said as he left to a secluded spot.

Adam was with the group when Alan returned to the meeting table with four rolls of paper under his arm. He set them all down and rolled one out. "Okay, we're all set. This is the plans for the nose. Rather simplistic, easy to make, just have to apply the Phase Shift coating to it and it's done. For each one, I'd say 7500 rou." (AN: Rou is the currency in the Cosmic Era according to the Gundam SEED Astray OVA.) Arthur seemed agreeable to that. He rolled out another one on top of it. "This is the plans for the Reflector Shield. As I expected this one was tough to figure out and will be hard to make. The price on that one is rather steep, sorry to say. 50000 rou each."

"50000 rou!" Vino and Adam said in unison as Arthur flinched.

"This is just a starting price of course. We'll work out the specifics in a moment."

Arthur smiled. "May I have a moment to consult?"

"Sure, go ahead." Alan waved them on as he kicked back.

The three of the Minerva crew huddled together. "Our original plan was to get two of each, but that one might just be shot to hell. We'd be spending 115000 rou. That's too much for the leeway in Minerva's budget." Arthur sighed. "Let's see what we can drop right now. Adam, your input?"

"I definitely need two noses, so I can fly in jet form. I say we cut off one shield."

Arthur put in his two cents. "I disagree. With all the new enemies with Reflector Shields and Positron Cannons, we need one of our own. I say we keep both shields and drop one nose."

Vino shook his head. "We need two of each. If it's broken we can fix one, but if it's destroyed, we're out of luck again. We need a backup just in case or we'll be stuck in this same situation again."

"So we're back where we started." Arthur rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I'll see what I can do about the price. I'll make the decision from there, any questions?" The boys shook their heads. "Okay, break."

They returned to the table, and Alan sat back up. "You ready to negotiate?"

"Yes. Let's start with the nose. What can you do to lower that a little?"

"I'll be honest, I can't really do much with the price on that one. It's at the bare minimum of my estimate."

"There's nothing you can do about them at all? Maybe bring it down to 7000?"

"7000 is workable, I can do that."

"7000 for each nose then. Now for the shield."

"Oh yes, the shield. We're going to have fun with this one, aren't we?"

"Yes. The price is far too steep. Unless it is somehow changed drastically, we'll have to drop that from our shopping list. Could we cut back on some materials?"

"Afraid not. The original maker of that shield made everything inside of it useful. I would need to keep everything in to get it to work."

Arthur's brain was pacing back and forth in his skull. "Ah! What about manpower? I noticed that you're the only one here. What if we offered you the help of our finest mechanics, would that help drop the price?"

"Well, since it's a Gundam I'm working on, an opportunity of a lifetime. And I'd be getting some help from the boys that work on her…I'll cut the second shield's price in half, but not the first one you'll have to pay full price for."

Arthur ground his teeth. "Tough decision."

Adam raised his hand. "Um, before you continue, can I ask a question?"

"Fire away, little buddy." Alan leaned back again.

"What are those two rolls over there?" Adam pointed to the papers on the side of the table.

"Oh yeah! I forgot all about these!" He picked one up. "I took a look at the specs of your mobile suit and found that you don't have anything really good for close and long range combat, so I figured I'd present these to you." He rolled out a design. "Presenting the Meteorite Cone. It's basically your standard nose cone, but on the outside of each is a boomerang saber, and on the inside are two parts of a beam blade." Vino stared at it in awe, but then Alan rolled out the final blueprint. "This is the Asteroid Cone. Once again it's your basic nose, but in one side there is an extendable buster cannon, while on the other is the generator for it and a missile battery. The two parts are connected behind the back by wire. If you're wondering, the original I'd like to call the Comet Cone. So, what do you guys think?"

"Let's talk it over again." Arthur said and the three resumed their huddle. "This may be incredibly lucky. The captain and I have been discussing this for a while already, and this may be the solution."

"I definitely think we should try to capitalize on it."

"Not only that, but we'll have spare noses and it looks like the parts inside can be interchangeable."

They broke again and returned to the table. "And what is the price on these new improvements?" Arthur asked.

"Ah, here's the kicker. I showed these to you last because you didn't really need them, so they're more like bonuses. If you pay the 7000 rou for each nose, I won't charge you for the parts inside, but I would like you to bring me something I really need."

"Name it."

"For each nose, I want three kegs of dark beer."

The room fell completely silent. "Beer?"

"Beer."

"Why beer? You're under age."

"Oh, I'm not going to drink it! It's for one of my weapons that I'm developing."

The room fell silent once again. A tumbleweed rolled by as the wind picked up for a second. Then Adam started gripping his sides and erupted in laughter. "What are you gonna do, get the enemy drunk?"

"No! Of course not! I'm serious, it's an invention I've been working on!"

"Yeah right, no wonder you can withstand electric shocks." Vino started chuckling. "You're drunk half the time!"

"I am not!" Alan snarled. "Fine, follow me, I'll prove it to you."

Alan fumed ahead of the doubtful Minerva crew. Adam put his hands behind his head as he traveled the route he used to get back to the tent. "Hey, Falcon is parked around here, you know."

"Yeah, I know. It's also where my mobile suit is." Alan said back, still a bit of anger in his voice. Once rounding a corner, he stopped. "I give you, ShEZAMS!" He spread his arms wide.

Adam and Vino planted their faces in the dirt as Arthur got a very large drop of sweat to roll down the side of his head. Vino started laughing his head off. "What the heck is that?"

"Hey, quit dissing my baby. This is the Sheridan Earth and Zodiac Alliance Modified Suit, or ShEZAMS, as I call it."

Adam picked himself off the rocks. "Dude, you've got a BaCOE's head on that thing."

"I'll have you know that BaCOEs are one of the most underrated mobile suits made. It's actually quite a good suit."

"You have a BaCOE's head…as your mobile suit's head. That doesn't seem weird to you?"

"No, why?"

The three sighed as Vino walked around the suit. "Let's see, you've got a BaCOE for a head, the arms of a mass produced Astray, the legs of a custom GINN, a Dagger's shield, and is that a Windam wing pack in the back? Yeah I think it is. The only thing I can't seem to get is the cockpit and torso."

"Oh that? I stripped down a GAZuOOT's chest and remodeled it to look like the mythical mobile suit, WingZero."

"Oh, I wonder why I didn't catch that before. I'm pretty good with MS-lore."

"Eh, who knows?" Alan said as he began mounting the suit. "I modified the Windam wings so instead of missiles, it has spare weaponry. I've got a blaster and a double barrel CWIS put on it."

Arthur called up to him. "I notice you don't have any beam sabers. What do you use as a melee weapon?"

Alan closed the cockpit and the BaCOE eye lit up as the suit activated. "Melee weapon? I use this." He pulled a curved blade off of the mobile suit's back it heated up and glowed red. "Pretty neat huh?" It cooled down and he reattached it to his back. "But in a real pinch I just use this." Two purple beam sabers extended from the BaCOE's head.

The three sweatdropped again. "It looks like you gave your mobile suit a moustache." Adam said. "Are you ever going to get around to showing us this weapon of yours?"

"Yeah yeah, keep your pants on. Follow me to the firing range." Alan's suit stomped its way over to a straight lane ending in a rocky dead end between the two cliffs. He walked over to a high tower with what looked like a water tower reservoir with a buster cannon attached to it. "This is what I've been working on." The mechanism clamped down on the shoulder of the mobile suit and its hand grabbed the buster cannon's handle and trigger.

"You realize that looks like a water pistol from down here with a tank as a backpack." Adam cupped his hands and tossed his voice up to Alan.

"Oh shut up for once! Geez!" He pointed the weapon at a rock in the distance. "See that boulder? I'm going to take it out." Alan pulled the trigger. The generator for the buster started to spin up, gathering the energy needed to create the blast. Then it wound down and sputtered. No energy came out of the weapon. "Oh geez, not again."

Adam and Vino, expecting something exciting, fell flat on their faces. Vino jumped up. "Take out that boulder huh? To lunch maybe!"

Alan hopped out onto the suit's platform. "You can just shut up!" He pointed at Vino. "And as for you…." Alan said as he pulled out a giant wrench from the cockpit, looking at the weapon, "You can…." He grabbed a hold of the dismount harness and jumped off towards the right arm. "WAKE UP!" He slammed the wrench into the weapon and the generator started to spin up again. "Yes!" Alan scrambled up to ShEZAMS cockpit.

Adam lowered his head. "How'd that fix it?"

Arthur scratched his head. "How'd he fit that wrench in there?"

Vino sweatdropped. "How'd he lift that wrench?"

"TEI!" Alan cried and an orange beam erupted from the buster. Unlike a straight beam like normal or an arching beam like the Forbidden Gundam used, it moved every which way wobbling around from place to place at random until it reached its target. The explosion sent a dusty blast towards the three spectators and they shielded themselves. The ShEZAMS pilot slid down the dismount cable. "See? See? What did I tell you? I'm totally awesome!" He laughed as the dust settled. He stopped when two of the three were staring at him with angry looks in front of him. "What?"

Vino and Adam stepped aside and pointed towards the end of the firing range. Alan's jaw dropped as he turned white. The boulder was still there, just there was a big dent in the rock wall right next to it. The two stepped back in front of Alan and loomed over him. "What the hell do you call that?"

"Is your aim that bad that you can't hit something that big?"

"Or does that weapon intentionally make you miss?"

"Hey, hey, calm down you two." Alan waved his hands in front of his face in an attempt to defend himself from their attacks. "It's designed to attack bases and battleships, not mobile suits."

Arthur stroked his chin. "Unreliable as it is, the explosive ratio was extraordinary. What was that?"

Alan straightened up and cleared is throat, leaving the other two still glowering at him. "Um, yes. You see, I make the energy pass through an amount of beer equal to one keg per shot. Not only does the refraction concentrate the beam for more power, the chemical aspects of the alcohol make the beam's course unable to fly in a straight line. It's not good for small targets, but better if you are aiming for a battleship or something of that nature. If so, it really packs a punch. I call it the Drunken Breaker."

"Ah! What an interesting use of alcohol! It's not often you see it used more than for getting stoned." Arthur looked on, impressed.

"But when you think about it, the target sure got stoned." Vino and Adam said at the same time as they slapped hands.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." The red-head rubbed his neck. "I've still got a few bugs to work out. The first shot never wants to go, and I have to work on that. Also, the liquid needs to be drained before the next shot is fired. That's why I need the beer, so I can test my improvements. I've experimented with all types of beer, but I've found that dark beer gets the results I want." He turned to Arthur. "So, can we do business?"

"The captain will be mad at me for barely making under budget, but I believe she'll forgive me." Arthur sighed as he took the younger man's hand. "You've got a deal. Three noses, one of each, Comet, Asteroid, and Meteorite, and two Reflector Shields."

"That'll come to 96,000 rou. If it's not too much trouble I'd like half of it when your mechanics get here, and the other half when it's all done, along with the 9 beer kegs."

Adam put his hands behind his head. "I'll finally get my suit fixed up right."

The XO pulled out his cell phone and sighed. "I'm going to get scolded for this." He dialed the captain's number.

"Boy is he in for it." Vino whispered to his counterpart.

"Yeah, I don't think I'd be able to explain that I just spent 96,000 rou."

"No, not that. Imagine Gladys's reaction when she hears about the beer. She'll blow a hole through the roof."

"9 KEGS OF WHAT?" Gladys yelled into the phone in her ready room. Her reaction wasn't unexpected but the outburst registered on the Richter Scale.

"Um, beer, ma'am." Arthur said on the other end of the phone in a very small voice.

"I'm aware of what you said. How could you make such a deal?"

"But Captain, we've been able to get quite a lot more than what we expected for…."

"That's not the point Arthur! Can you imagine the reaction when the Supreme Chairman looks at the purchase records and sees 9 kegs of beer on it?"

"Then, may I suggest that you warn him of it before hand?"

"Hmm…."

Laughter erupted from a suite at the hotel. "Beer? Are you trying to make your crew merry men, Talia?"

"Chairman, I'm being totally serious. The man we are doing business with insists on it."

He chuckled. "Sure, Talia, sure. Fine, I'll authorize it this once. Would you like to warn me about any other purchases this month? Maybe some chips and dip perhaps?" He broke down in laughter.

"Chairma…." Dullindal unwittingly hung up the phone.

"Moshi moshi?" Arthur answered the phone. "Eh? He approved it? But how…oh no…don't worry about it ma'am, I'll get to work on it the moment we return…. I see…hai…hai. Very well, see you back on the ship. Trine out." He flipped his phone closed and sent a dazed look towards the others. "The Chairman approved the transaction! The captain is compiling a work schedule for the mechanics right now."

"Wow, that's funky. The Chairman is a nice guy, but I didn't think he'd be so understanding." Adam cocked his head.

"It's more of a misunderstanding actually. He thinks that we're throwing some sort of party."

"Oh boy, that'll be a lot of paperwork for you, won't it?" Vino slapped his forehead.

"You have no idea." Arthur sighed and turned to the craftsman. "Your first payment will arrive with our first shift crew. May I ask how long this will take overall?"

"Two, maybe three days if the help is good." Sheridan scratched his head. "I'd say that's about right."

"Good, that's when our shore leave wraps up." Adam stretched.

"Great, that's perfect timing then." Alan smiled as he stepped onto the foothold of his suit and was raised up to the cockpit. "I'll start gathering the materials and we'll get to work the moment your team arrives!" He slipped in.

Arthur checked his watch. "Oh! We made some excellent time on this deal! It's only 9:00. We could get back in time for breakfast with the others."

"You think they're still asleep?" Vino yawned.

"Probably. It's shore leave after all." Adam yawned, but he stopped in mid stretch. "That means I could wake Meyrin up! Come on guys, let's get back to the jet." They turned around and started to walk away as the ground shook with ShEZAMS steps.

As they were about to enter the tent to cross to the other side, an explosion came from behind them. Sheridan screamed as he flew overhead and landed in the tent canopy. He fell through a hole in the tent and rolled head over heels until he slid facefirst into the dirt at the three's feet. Adam, Vino, and Arthur looked from him to the smoking cockpit of ShEZAMS. Alan flipped over and let out a puff of black smoke when he coughed. Vino's jaw dropped slightly as he raised an eyebrow. 'He survived? Just what is this guy made of?'

"Well that was quite a ride." The redhead shook the dust out of his hair as he sat up. He glared at his cut-and-shut mobile suit and shook a fist at it. "I was wondering when you were going to do that!"

"What happened?" Vino inquired

Alan waved it off a bit, "ShEZAMS didn't like what I was tryin' to do to her so she decided to let me know the hard way."

His three guests looked at him questionably. "Can it really do that?" Adam asked.

"Temperamental little wench does that quite a bit," he explained, "No worries though, I'm used to it." He laughed a bit as he sweatdropped at the looks he was given.

"He is one strange little character," Arthur whispered.

"Agreed," said Vino.

"Look who's talking." Adam nodded his agreement as he whispered under his breath. They continued on their way as Sheridan started attacking ShEZAMS with his giant wrench, cursing at it.

Chapter 10 Preview: The unknown of yesterday has passed, and today that you know has come. The days of tomorrow are anticipated but are still unknown. The happenings of today will leave a permanent mark in everyone's hearts and minds for tomorrow. Will the pilots know how the events will unfold? If destined meetings are to happen, are they not without damages? Next time on Old Friends Anew: Meetings and Misunderstandings. Gallop towards your greatest dream, Gaia!

Author's Note: This chapter was totally original. The new original character of Alan Sheridan was a tribute to my pre-reader, vampwriter, in which I lightly based the character on. He also co-wrote the last part of this chapter. Now that Adam has three choices as to which weapons to use, I'd say it's time to get the readers in on the action. In the next battle, would you like to see Adam use his original Comet cone, the sword Meteorite cone, or the blaster Asteroid cone? You can e-mail me your vote or put it in the review section, along with your opinion of this chapter of course :-) .


	10. Old Friends Anew Ch 10

Old Friends Anew

Phase-10: Meetings and Misunderstandings

Stellar giggled as her bare feet slapped the wet sand, in love with the sound the thin layer of water made as she splashed in it. As Sting typed on his computer in the large house overlooking the shore, Auel walked out to the balcony and leaned forward onto the rail. He watched the unstable girl in her glee for a moment and a soft smile crossed his face. At the sound of an aircraft, he looked up, seeing a ZAFT carrier flying towards the base, over the ocean. "Huh, wonder what that's all about today?"

"Auel. Auel!" Stellar waved to him from below.

"What is it, Stellar?"

"Can Stellar go out today? I want to see those cliffs!"

"You'll have to ask Neo about that, but I don't see why he'd say no. Right, Sting?"

"I have to agree." Sting called out to them.

"Grab your shoes and we'll drop you off a little later, okay?" Auel smiled.

"Yay!" Stellar quickly ran up and snatched her shoes from the shore and slipped them on after wiping the sand off her feet.

Auel went into the house and Sting shot him a glare. "That's rather cruel, you know."

"Yeah, I guess. But, at least we should enjoy our off days."

"Even with what we know will happen?"

"Even with that. Remember, Stellar is the only one who doesn't know. She should enjoy it the most."

"I guess. Which reminds me, when did Neo say the booster pack would be done?"

"He said he's going to pick it up today."

"Finally, Gaia will be back to normal."

"Yeah, really. Stellar was really bummed about that."

As the carrier jet landed on a pad right next to the hotel, a hoverjet lifted off from the pad right next to it. A group of military saluted it as it ascended. Inside was the smiling, and still chuckling, Chairman Dullindal. Two DINNs launched to escort the ship. All of the noise woke Athrun and Meyrin from their respective sleeps. Meyrin yawned and stretched. "Ah! That was the best sleep I had in a long time!"

"GWAAAHHH!" THUD! Came from the next room over.

"Hmm?" She rubbed her eyes. "That sounded like Athrun-san. He must be next door. I wonder what scared him." She put her ear to the wall separating the two suites.

Athrun opened his eyes to see that it was light out. He sat up and moved his blanket out of the way, bumping something on his bed. He looked towards it. "Huh?" He saw a second human-sized lump under his sheets. The blue haired teen ripped the sheets off of the lump to see long pink hair running down a person's back. The person flipped over, as she moaned in her sleep, revealing that she was, in fact, Mia Campbell. Flipping over also revealed to Athrun just how skimpy her pink nightgown was. He reeled back. "GWAAAHHH!" THUD! He had no where to go but down as he fell off the bed.

The loud crash woke Mia. She sat up and cooed as she rubbed her eyes, the straps of her nightgown sliding off her shoulders unintentionally. Meyrin kept her ear by the wall. "I wonder why I don't hear anything right now." She whispered to herself.

Just then, a badly timed knock on Athrun's door came out. "Ohayo gozaimasu, daicho."

Meyrin shot her hands up to her mouth to prevent herself from yelling. "Oh shit, it's Lumi! What is she doing there?"

As Athrun gasped as he sat up again and Mia looked at the door indifferently, Lunamaria continued. "Are you awake in there? If you are, I was wondering if you wanted to head to the dining hall with me."

"So that's what you're doing, Lumi. Bad girl, trying to take someone else's man." Meyrin clucked.

Athrun was in a panic and only answered with an "Uhh…" as he stood up. He was about to run to the door in his underwear, until he slid to a stop and looked at Mia, fully realizing that her presence in a fuzzy pink nightgown and him in his underwear would make all sorts of problems. He dashed to his drawers and started slipping into a pair of pants.

"Daicho?" Luna continued to stand at the door.

"Uuhh….aah…" He tried to respond as he hiked them up.

"What's wrong with Athrun-san today?" Both Meyrin and Luna whispered to themselves.

Mia pouted and got up. Athrun caught her motion as she went to the door while he buttoned his trousers. "Huh? Hey, what are you…" He whispered loudly as he tried to follow her.

Mia opened up the door and a completely surprised Luna was at the other end. One look at the fuzzy pink dress and the sounds of Athrun's pants zipping up before he came into view told her all she needed to know, but it still didn't register. Mia put on her best charming face. "The offer is appreciated, but feel free to go ahead."

Meyrin clamped her hand over her mouth again. "Holy shit! Lacus-san is in Athrun's room! Lumi, you're so in for it this time!"

"Athrun will be escorting me down there in a little while." Mia continued as Athrun reached out to her trying to stop her.

Luna's eyes were wide open and her face was in total and complete surprise. "Eh? Umm…" She continued to stutter. "H…h…hai." The door slammed in her face, blowing her standing lock of red-purple hair out of place. She backed away slowly and stumbled to the next door.

"Ooohhh. Lumi got dissed." Meyrin chuckled as she went back to her dresser.

Meyrin stopped as she heard her sister talking to herself. "It's just going to be one of those weird days. At least I can get Mirei to come with me."

"Is that so, big sis?" Meyrin whispered to herself as her eyes narrowed. "This day is only gonna get weirder for you." She hopped onto her bed.

Lunamaria got to her sister's door and was about to knock when she heard squeaking, like from a bed. "What the…?"

Luna stood frozen in place as Meyrin continued to jump on her bed. The younger girl grinned evilly as she started to squeal towards the door. "Oh, Adam! No…not there…not there! Ooooohhh! Eeeeeeee! Oh, Adam, my God! Don't stop, please!"

Lunamaria turned green as she started to stumble away. "Am I the only person that hasn't turned into a pervert in this hotel?"

Meyrin stopped her moaning and jumping as she knew her sister was gone. "That was fun." She rushed back to the wall and pressed her ear against it to find out what else was happening in Athrun's room.

As Lunamaria dragged herself around the corner of the hallway, a certain orange-haired boy approached her. "Hey Luna, what's new? Is Meyrin up yet?" Adam raised a hand to her.

"Oh, she's up alright. But the way you two were going she should be fast asleep by now." She had hatred saturating her deadened voice.

"Huh? What are you talking about? I just got back from the parts shop."

"What? But you…." She whipped around to look at her sister's hall. "And her…" She turned back to Adam, "Didn't you just…." She slumped her head and shoulders.

"Luna, are you feeling okay? You don't look so good." The next thing he knew was lying on the floor with a very big lump on his head and Luna stomping off like a Zaku with her fist clenched. "Wh…what did I do?"

Mia hummed in victory as she turned from the door, right into Athrun, who grabbed her arms tightly. "What the hell was that?" The enraged boy yelled in her face.

"Huh? Well, that girl was trying to…."

"That's not the point!" He shut her up as he looked away for a moment before his eyes flashed with rage. "Why the hell, when the hell, and how the hell did you get into this room? MY ROOM!"

Meyrin continued to listen in. "Wha? Lacus-san, sneaking into Athrun's room? Maybe they're playing it up to cover for what they did last night."

Mia giggled. "Remember I promised you that I'd visit you in your room some time after dinner? When there was no answer I told the front desk that you had fallen asleep."

"Huh?" Athrun was still confused.

"It turned out that you really did, so they gladly let me in."

"Gladly and knowingly, probably." Meyrin whispered to herself.

Athrun let go of her and lifted his head. He took a deep breath and got in her face. "That's not what I mean! Why do you do stuff like this, you?"

"Wha? This is normal for a girl when she sees her fiancé again, isn't it?" Mia tried to play cute and innocent.

"Um, only in cheap romance novels." Meyrin sweatdropped. "And then, something actually happens when they crawl into bed."

"Lacus, she wouldn't do anything remotely like this!" Athrun's nose was within an inch of Mia's.

Athrun turned away before he tried to hit her. Mia didn't make it any better. "She wouldn't? How come?" Athrun pounded his palm into his forehead.

"Huh?" Meyrin scratched her head. "Well maybe something did happen and they like talking in the third person afterwards. But I can't really believe Zala-daicho would do something like that."

Meyrin's continued thought on the subject was disrupted by a knock on her door. "Hey, good morning, Meyrin. You up?"

The door flew open and Meyrin leapt into Adam's arms. "Adam!" She smiled before she kissed him. "I had a great night, thanks to you."

"Uh-uh. It's thanks to the Supreme Chairman, not me. If you're gonna thank anyone, thank him." He held her nice and tight.

"Yeah well, it's just proof that being your girlfriend has its perks." She giggled. "Let me get changed and we'll head down to breakfast."

The orange-haired FAITH officer sipped at his coffee in the café as Luna made her way down the stairs with Shinn talking by her side. "Really? So, the Chairman has left already?"

"Yeah. It makes sense. He is a rather busy man you know. Just speaking with him like that yesterday was a total miracle."

"I know, but I just wanted like five seconds to thank him for the rooms."

"To be honest, Shinn, I'm jealous. You and Adam got a ton of praise from the Chairman, and you've got an extra day off too. I'm surprised you're not dancing in happiness."

"Hey, you've gotten shore leave as well you know!" Shinn pointed out as he caught up to her. "What's wrong with you today?"

"It's nothing."

"Wrong time of the month?"

"Shinn!" Luna hissed.

"Um, you two…." The orange haired man said as they passed his table. "You're those Minerva pilots from yesterday, right? Where's the new kid?"

"Who, you mean me?" Adam walked up next to his crewmates, with Meyrin on his arm.

"Yeah, you. Auda? Who's this?" He turned to Meyrin.

Meyrin straightened up and saluted, as the others followed suit. "Please excuse us, and good morning. I am Meyrin Hawke."

The 18 year old smiled, and they all put their hands down. "Meyrin is my girlfriend and the communications officer on Minerva." Adam said as he put a hand on her hip.

"Is that so?" The boy took another sip of his drink. "And where's the pilot in FAITH?"

"I think that Daicho is still in his room at the mome…."

Luna's voice was cut off by the recognizable voice of Mia coming around the corner. "And then that soldier blushed redder than a beet and cried 'Arigato gozaimasu' at the top of his lungs!" She was hanging onto Athrun's arm like it was her last lifeline as they descended the same stairs that Luna, Shinn, Adam, and Meyrin did before. Luna closed her eyes and turned away before her emotions were revealed. Adam and Shinn had surprised looks on their faces, while Meyrin took one glance at Luna and knew exactly what she was thinking.

When the FAITH officer saw them he smiled again. "Ah, I see. Okay, I understand now. Shank you." He stood up and saluted. "Ohayo gozaimasu, Lacus-sama."

Athrun, noticing for the first time his fellow officer, let out a surprised sound and then ripped his hand free of Mia's arm. He stood at attention and saluted. Mia, not caring, went forward. "Well then! Good morning!" She approached the man.

"I'd like to thank you for all your hard work, especially yesterday. Everyone was overjoyed at your surprise performance. This should raise their morale quite a bit."

"Heine-san, I hope you had a good time yourself, as well."

"Yes, of course. You were excellent."

Meyrin looked from Athrun, to Lacus, to the orange-haired guy and back through the list. Mia saw her stare and caught the color of her hair and she turned to the girl on Adam's arm. "Oh my! What beautiful hair!"

"Who? Me?" Meyrin pointed to herself as she dropped Adam's arm.

"Yes yes! I love the pig tails! They're so pretty!" She took the girl by the shoulder and pulled her away slightly. "You've got to tell me how you do that!"

"Eh? But I was trying to emulate one of your styles, Lacus-san." Meyrin blushed.

"Really?"

Meyrin nodded. "Remember that blue dress you had, and you had your hair in pigtails."

"Hmm. I don't remember. I've had so many styles that I can't keep track of them all!" Mia giggled.

"Is that so?" Meyrin said under her breath.

"So tell me, how do you do it?" Mia clapped her hands together.

This conversation gave Athrun some relief from the girl finally, and the FAITH member in front of him began to speak. "I'm sorry I was unable to introduce myself yesterday, things being so hectic and all. I'm special forces member Heine Westenfluss."

Adam stifled a chuckle. 'Heine Westenfluss, Hiney Fluss, Butt Floss.'

"Get that thought out of your head, I've heard all the jokes made about my name before. You can't pull any new ones out on me." The green eyed Coordinater glared at him.

"Sir, I have no idea what you're talking about, sir." Adam stiffened.

"Uh-huh, sure." Heine rolled his eyes as he turned back to Athrun. "In any case, it's nice to meet you, Athrun."

"No, the pleasure is mine. I'm Athrun Zala." The two shook hands.

"I know. Your reputation precedes you." Athrun let out a surprised tone. "And the list is getting longer, since I just heard you've re-enlisted. In the first war you were in Kleuze Team, am I right?"

"Hai."

"I was in the Hawkings Team. I don't know how we missed each other at Jackin Due."

"Hai." Athrun said quietly, knowing that missed is rather close to the truth, in that he was most likely shooting at him.

Two civilians approached the group. "Lacus-sama, could you come with us so we could discuss today's plans? I'm sorry to take you away from your friends." Her manager spoke.

"Awww!"

"Please, Lacus-sama."

"Fine. I guess these things can't be helped." She sighed. "Well, thanks for the hair tips." She said to Meyrin, and then turned to Athrun. "Well Athrun, I guess I'll see you later."

"Um, yeah." He said back as the girl walked away.

Meyrin grabbed onto Adam's arm and whispered to him. "Thank Kami-sama! That girl can talk your ears off." Adam sighed. "I can't believe she forgot the pigtails, because that was one of her most popular styles."

"Well she is really busy you know. Maybe she really did forget."

"I'm not so sure." Meyrin said under her breath.

Heine smiled at Athrun. "You two seem to get along well, don't you?"

"Eh? Ah, well, I wouldn't say…." Athrun retorted as he turned back to the Gouf pilot.

"Oh come on! It's good to get along! Especially with your fiancé." Hiene said as he sat back and crossed his legs.

"Well, I guess."

"So, minus our present company of the communications officer, the four of you plus that blonde guy, there are five pilots in all?"

"Eh? Yes." Athrun said curiously.

Heine leaned forward as he stretched his finger out, pointing to each pilot in turn. "Impulse, Zaku Warrior, Savior, and…yours is…um…." He finally arrived at Adam.

Adam pouted as he rolled his eyes. "Falcon, Falcon Astray."

"Right, Falcon, that new one. That means the other guy's is Blaze Zaku Phantom, ne?" He said pointing up. Everyone blinked in curiosity as Athrun acknowledged him. "And you're part of FAITH, and the captain is too, right?"

"Yeah, why are you…." Athrun started to ask.

"Though not much in number, your military capacity is more than enough." He rested his chin on his hand as he looked out the window. "So what is he thinking telling me to join that ship, that Chairman?"

"Eh?" The rookie pilots and Meyrin let out as they leaned a little more forward.

"You're being assigned to Minerva?" Athrun asked the obvious in disbelief.

"Yeah, once shore leave ends, I'm boarding it with you all. I'll be going down there later to hand over my paperwork. Even though I think three FAITH personnel in one ship is rather bothersome." He picked up a couple of sheets off his table.

"Um…" Meyrin stepped forward. "If you want, Westenfluss-san, I could bring those to Minerva for you. Please, enjoy your shore leave as much as possible."

"No no, I couldn't possibly do that. That would remove some of your vacation time. I've heard you've all been through a lot."

"Please, Westenfluss-san, I insist. It's no trouble at all. I'm going back to pick up a few items anyway, so it's not like I'd be going out of my way."

The orange Zaku's pilot sighed. "Hai hai. Since you've been so kind as to extend the offer." He gave her the papers. "Hand them directly to the captain if you could."

"Yes sir."

He smiled again. "You've got yourself a good girlfriend…um…Adam, right? Make sure you treat her right."

Both Meyrin and Adam blushed brightly. "I…I try to. I have to make sure I'm deserving of her, right? Heh heh." Adam scratched the back of his head. Shinn chuckled into his hand. "What?"

"I should have brought tanning lotion. Your faces are making perfect impressions of the sun."

Adam and Meyrin looked at each other. Realizing he was right, they blushed even redder as they turned to him. "SH-SHUT UP!"

Heine chuckled a little. "Well, never mind about that FAITH thing. When on the battlefield, every little bit helps I suppose. Also, every person looks at things a little differently, right? In any case, I'm glad to meet you all. Chairman Dullindal has high hopes for Minerva. Let's not disappoint him."

"Hai, of course. We're pleased to make your acquaintance." Athrun said as he saluted. The others quickly followed his example.

As the propellers of a hoverjet spun up, Athrun and Mia stood a safe distance away, the pink-haired girl insistent on saying goodbye. Meyrin and the three other pilots stood by the entrance waiting for their commander to return.

"Well, Athrun. I guess this is it once again."

"Hai, please take care." He put his hand out to her.

Instead of taking his hand, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled her face in closer. Athrun shot her a very cross look. "Please? You'd kiss her, wouldn't you?" She sighed as she took the final initiative.

Athrun caught her in time and shoved her away. "Enough of that already!" He turned her around and forcefully pushed her onto the craft. "Now you need to get going or else you'll be late."

"Aww…no fair."

A few moments later, the hoverjet launched, and two escorting DINNs lifted off. Watching the two reminded Adam of something. "Oh yeah!" He turned towards his girlfriend. "Meyrin, the mechanics extended us an invite to head into the city."

"Sounds like fun! Good thing I'm heading back to Minerva and getting my stuff." She said as they turned away.

"Now, I wonder what I should do today." Luna said, still pouting from her unkind experience from before.

"Huh? What are you talking about now, Luna?" Shinn went after her.

As the four approached the elevator, she continued. "I'd like to go into town, but it'll be boring by myself."

"You could always go with us, Lumi." Meyrin said as she pressed a button.

"No, I'm not going to do that, it's your day, not mine. Besides, I know you want to spend all that time with your boyfriend, most likely alone in a very hot bedroom." She rolled her eyes.

"Wh…whe…where did that come from?" Adam turned red.

"Oh, nothing. It's too bad that Ray is missing out. Maybe I'll head back to the ship instead."

Athrun, hearing the conversation as he approached, decided to add his two cents. "Why don't you go out with Shinn then?" The mentioned boy looked confused at the comment, as Adam and Meyrin chuckled at the mental image of Shinn going on a date with Luna. That stopped the instant they saw the frustrated look on Luna's face. The elevator door opened and she stomped her way in along with the others. The elevator closed behind them and began to move. "You do have the day off after all, so you should use it to relax. I've already decided to be the one to return to ship today, so don't worry about a thing."

"Eh? But daicho…." Shinn looked to him.

Luna bit her lip as her eyebrows twitched. After sharing a look, Adam and Meyrin took a step back from her. "Oh yeah! Don't worry about Daicho. He's okay. After all, Lacus-sama spent a LOT of time together with him already."

Athrun took a step back as Shinn looked back and forth between the two. Adam spoke up. "What do you mean by that Lunama…." Meyrin silenced him quickly with a deep kiss.

"And apparently so did THOSE two." Luna glared at them.

"Eh?" Athrun turned to them, the only one other than Meyrin that knew what Luna was talking about.

"Oh yeah, you should have gone with Lacus as a bodyguard, Daicho." She said, lifting her nose high into the air.

"Lunamaria!"

"You do belong to FAITH after all. There would have been no problem if you had done that." Before the problem got any worse, the elevator stopped and Luna tromped out.

"Chotto matte! Lunamaria!" Athrun followed her out. She glared at him as the other three exited and stood behind him. "Shinn, please go on ahead. Adam, Meyrin, I want a talk with you later. Meet me in the lobby."

"Hai." The two said nervously as Shinn just shrugged as the walked past the two.

"What was that all about, Meyrin?" Adam whispered.

"I'll tell you later."

"Oh, are you going to hit a woman too?" Luna snarled at Athrun as they stared at each other.

Athrun sighed and the anger left his eyes. "I admit I was at fault for this morning's incident. I don't want to make excuses for it, but you're misunderstanding things. Stop acting so snobbish because of that."

The red-head raised her right eyebrow. "Misunderstanding? There's nothing to misunderstand, but I get it. Fine then, I'll be much more careful when Lacus-sama is around."

Athrun leaned forward at the shorter girl. "Don't make me repeat myself…."

"There's nothing to worry about. I get the relationship between you two VERY well." She saluted quickly and walked off in the opposite direction. Athrun sighed at the situation.

"You did WHAT?" Adam and Athrun yelled at Meyrin at the same time.

"I tricked her. I made her think that Adam and I were having sex." Meyrin tried to make herself look smaller.

"Hmm, that would explain all the moaning and screaming I heard from the next room." Athrun rubbed his chin.

Adam sighed. "Meyrin, as far as pranks go…that was a good one." He chuckled.

"Adam!" Athrun scolded.

"I know, I know, I'm getting to it. Even so, don't you think that's a little over the line?"

"Yeah, I guess, especially after what I heard Lumi saying after she stopped by your room, Daicho."

"You…you heard?" Athrun started to panic.

"Not that much really, I was waking up. I hardly remember a thing." Meyrin lied through her teeth.

"Oh, okay. Well, use more judgement next time you decide to play a joke, clear?"

"Yes, sir." Both of them said.

"Well then, dismissed."

Shinn sighed. "You know Luna, I'd go with you if you really wanted me to. 'It's better to take journeys with friends.' That's the saying isn't it?"

"Bah, I don't think so. Who would want to go out with a big baby like you?"

"Hey, wait a minute!"

"Nope, I'm going back to my room and getting changed. Then I'm going to head out and get some shopping done, ALONE."

"Luna! What is wrong with you today?"

"It's nothing, I just don't really feel like being around people I know today." She walked off.

"She can be so weird." Shinn shrugged as he went back to his own room to grab his civilian clothes.

Adam finished tapping his foot into his shoe when a buzz came at his door. "Adam, it's me."

"Come in." He said as he slipped his foot into the other shoe.

Meyrin came in. "Hey, ready to go?"

Once he finished tying his shoe he stood up. "Almost, I've got one more thing to take with me, and wow! You look great Meyrin!" She wore pink and orange light jacket with the collar flipped up, very short blue shorts, and a white hat with her favorite sunglasses on top of them.

She blushed at his comment. "You don't look too bad yourself." Adam wore his sunglasses on top of his orange hair, an open dark blue athletic vest with a white t-shirt, and long khaki cargo pants.

"Thanks. Gimmie a second would ya?" He turned to his dresser. "Now where did I put those? Aha!" He pulled out the two knives he bought in Carpentaria. Meyrin gasped as she saw the blades again. Her eyes trembled as Adam turned to her. "Oh, don't worry Meyrin. I'm over that already." Adam smiled. "Once you gave me something to live for, that is. I'm taking these with me for protection."

Meyrin sighed in relief. "Protection?"

"Yeah, protection. Diocvia was liberated from the EAF after all. I'm worried that there might still be some EAF spies or something." He flipped the first knife open and shut and stuck it in his shoe. He did the same to the other and slipped it into a pocket. After that, the Falcon pilot wrapped his girlfriend in a warm embrace. "I've got to make sure my special someone is safe after all."

Meyrin sighed as she closed her eyes and put her head against him. "You're so sweet, Adam."

Shinn wandered aimlessly around town in his white and gray sweatshirt and khaki pants. "Just as I thought, there isn't much to do around a city that's being repaired." But he passed a vehicle renting store and he smiled. "Woah! What a bike! And there are a lot of cliffside roads around here. Maybe I can have some fun after all!" Shinn snapped his fingers. "Hey pops! How much to rent that red Kawasaki for a day? Hey cool I just made a product placement. You're welcome Kawasaki!"

As the repair and re-supply to Minerva continued, Captain Gladys sat at her desk reading the profile of Heine Westenfluss. "He's no ordinary reinforcement. Really, what is he thinking, that Chairman?"

Adam, Meyrin, Vino, and Youlan sat at a table at the front of a restaurant. A waitress came up to the table. "How may I help you today?"

"I'll take an orange soda ice." Adam said.

"Strawberry sherbet for me." Meyrin licked her lips.

"I'll take a vanilla milkshake." Vino added his in.

"Mmmm, root beer float sounds nice." Youlan finished it off.

"I'll bring them out to you shortly." The woman left.

Once she was out of earshot, Youlan and Vino were whooping. "Wow! Did you check her out?" was Vino's comment.

"Did I? I had to look twice to take her all in!" Youlan countered. "Diocvia girls are real babes! I want one."

Meyrin picked two pebbles out of her shoes and flicked them into the boys' foreheads. After getting a satisfactory yelp of pain from them, she scoweled. "What are you talking about in front of a lady?"

"What lady?" They said at the same time.

Adam pounded his side of the table and Vino and Youlan's end hit them in the chin. "Watch it guys. You might be my friends, but my girlfriend comes first."

"Hey, you two have already hooked up. Athrun's hooked up. We're thinking this love bug is contagious, so we're just trying to pick candidates." Youlan rubbed his chin.

"Candidates?" The couple yelled. "This isn't some type of dating show you know!"

"We know that, we're just fantasizing. And after seeing a babe like that, we'll be doing so for a while." Vino smiled and looked up to the sky.

Little did Vino know that the waitress was right behind him. Her eyebrow twitched. "Ahem." Vino and Youlan reeled back. "Here are your orders." She carefully placed them on the table, and before she walked away she glared at the two boys. "I'll be having fantasies too, about ripping you to shreds in very painful and torturous ways." With that said, she walked away.

The two mechanics stopped dead in their tracks and paled. Adam and Meyrin started laughing at them as they shook out of it. "That girl thinks she's getting a tip, no way." They grumbled.

From the roof of a building across the street, a man watched them through binoculars. He hung them around his neck and revealed the blue beret he had on his head. "Coordinators from the flagship Minerva, eh? Lucky."

Shinn raced through the mountain roads on his rented red motorcycle. His hair swirled in the breeze as he accelerated, and his loose clothing flapped around. But no matter how fast he rode or farther he went, he couldn't run from his own mind.

"_If war ended, there would be no need for weapons. Thus, there would be no profit in it. But it's quite lucrative for them if wars do come around. And thus, they would want wars to exist, by any means necessary."_

Those were the words of Chairman Dullindal the day before.

" '_Killing because someone was killed…Being killed because you killed…Is that really going to lead to peace?' A friend asked me that once. I couldn't answer back then, and even now, I haven't found an answer. Yet I'm back in this uniform, and back in battle once again."_

Athrun's phrases rang true over the sound of his engine.

"_People have been crying those words for all of time, those who think of war as industry and have made them by themselves for their own profit."_

Dullindal's speech made him grit his teeth. How could someone profit over a war that cost the lives of his family? It was one thing he could still not grasp.

"_Why is all of this necessary now? Didn't we pledge? Didn't we all pledge to take the path to understanding each other? To go hand in hand so that this tragedy won't happen a second time?"_

Cagalli's preaching continued to disturb him, even after all this time.

"_Hailling the ZAFT battleship, Minerva. You are nearing the territorial waters of the Emirates of ORB. We cannot permit you to cross the territorial line."_

The battle against the EAF took the biggest toll on him, and also was his greatest moment, where he discovered his capabilities.

"_That's why…I'm begging you…I want you to finish them off! Burn that battery to the ground for good! I'm begging you, please!"_

At that moment, he had realized what a fool he had been, but now…?

"_Even now, the shadows of war hide them, but the Logos are definitely there. They are the ones that gave birth to Blue Cosmos. And that's why it's so difficult. As long as those people tug at the strings, Earth and PLANT will fight. If there's something, anything, that I can do, I would like to do it."_

Dullindal's most important words changed his attitude. His joyride was taken over by anger, anger that needed to be worked off. Thus, he kept riding.

The four young teens from Minerva continued walking through the bazaar, window shopping, and in some cases, just plain shopping. Many of the items they saw were of good quality, but highly priced. As they entered another café section, a shiver ran down Adam's spine. As Meyrin and Vino started playfully arguing about any old topic, he walked next to Youlan and started looking around. "Youlan…."

"Ah, you felt it too huh?"

"Yeah, the atmosphere changed. Something's up."

"Also, the number of people in this area is less than the other areas, and they're not reacting normally. All of them are giving us looks while trying to hide it."

"There are also a lot of alleyways around here." Adam saw a human-sized movement in one of them and gasped. "Something's going to happen."

"I know."

"Do you have an emergency beacon with you?"

"Yeah. I do."

"Crack it now. We're in a bad spot."

"Gotcha." Youlan pulled out his dog tags and snapped one of them in half.

In one of the dark alleyways the man in the blue beret spoke into a radio. "Saiksen kaishi." (Commence operation).

Shinn put the kickstand down and dismounted the bike. He had found a nice scenic ocean view off of a cliff. He stretched and smelled the crisp salty air as the breeze tossed his hair slightly. Over the crashing of the waves against the rocks, he started to hear singing. The voice of a girl singing. He turned towards the sound. On the next jut on the cliff was a golden blonde haired girl with purple eyes, singing softly as she spun and danced in her blue, white, and purple dress. Though he didn't realize it, it was the same girl that he bumped into at Armory One. As she continued to spin forward, Shinn smiled and looked away, glad that someone else was able to enjoy the day. That is, until she let out a squeak, and a splash reached his ears. "Eh?" He turned towards the cliff she was on a moment before. The happy musician was gone. "No way, don't tell me that she…!" He ran onto her cliff and spun around searching for her. As Shinn looked down over the edge, he could see the girl splashing madly below. "She fell in! No way!" He took notice of her flailing motion. "She can't even swim? Eh!" He stood up and took off his jacket. After tossing it away he leapt in after her, feet first.

By now she was starting to sink, her lungs holding in the last breath she had taken. She had let it go by the time that Shinn reached her and grabbed her waist. Instinct took over her mind as she tore away from him, but her strength left her and he pulled the girl up to the surface. As they broke, her lungs took a deep breath and her energy returned along with her instincts. She unwittingly tried to fight against her savior, and scratched him hard on the cheek as he held her at arms length. Losing his grip, she started to sink again, and he dove under her and grabbed her waist again, pulling her back. "Damn it!" He said breaking the surface. "Calm down!" He said as she continued to flail, sending them both backwards into the water.

Moments later, the girl was floating on her back on top of Shinn, who also was floating in the same manner, holding her tightly as they looked up at the seagulls as they caught their breaths. They had finished with their struggling and now all was calm, but their hearts were still racing. Two gulls circled above them calling out to their friends. "Oh sure, laugh it up birdbrains." Shinn shook his free fist at the unkind birds. He surveyed his surroundings and found a cave in the rocks. "Hey, I'm gonna move you over to the land. Just stay calm and we'll be there shortly."

She didn't let out a sound as they moved towards the coast. When the water was shallow enough to walk in Shinn put the girl's arm over his shoulder and they both walked their exhausted forms into water that you could kneel in, where they threw themselves onto the sand. The blonde coughed as Shinn flipped his water-drenched form over into a sitting position as he caught his breath. The girl in the soaking wet dress turned her head to see her savior for the first time. "Were you planning to die or something, idiot?" Shinn snapped. The girl's world just stopped as the forbidden word triggered her flight instinct with intense fervor. "If you can't swim, why were you being so careless in a place like that?" His anger faded as he saw her reaction.

Her face was the epitome of fear as she backed away, letting out stuttering squeaks. "N…no." When her back hit a rock she started shivering. "I don't want to die. No!" She took off towards the sea, not realizing that she was heading for certain doom.

"Hey, wait a minute! What's wrong?" Shinn went after her with a new burst of energy.

"No! I don't want to die! I'm afraid!" Her feet were slipping on the rocks as the water kept getting deeper.

"Hey, hold it! That's why I'm telling you not to go!" Shinn said as he grabbed her again.

She fought against him as she cried. "I don't want to die! If I'm shot, I'll die!" She elbowed him hard, causing a small trickle of blood to come out of his mouth as he hit the water. She lost her balance on a jagged rock and fell as well.

"I get it! This girl must've…she must have been there when the EAF…damn it!" He went after her again.

"No! Please not that! I'm afraid! I'm afraid to die!" Her strength was leaving her.

Shinn yanked her up, turned her around, and cradled her head as he held tightly to her. "Ah, I get it. You'll be fine. You're not gonna die." She gasped as she lifted her head from his shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll do it. I'll protect you!" His words brought to her mind a certain masked man named Neo. She sobbed into his shoulder. "I'm so sorry. This was my fault. I'm really sorry. It'll be okay now."

The four young teens approached a soda shop with some large outdoor tables. Adam and Youlan nodded to each other, and Adam spoke up. "Hey, I'm thirsty. Let's grab a drink."

"I could go for something too." Youlan saw his plan.

"But we just had ice cream." Meyrin looked to her boyfriend.

"Meyrin." He looked at her with the gravest look ever. "Please."

"U…u…unh." She nodded as she sat down. Vino looked between them and shrugged, not getting it.

Adam walked up to the cashier of the store. "Hey Youlan, what do you want?"

"Just get me whatever." He said as he stood by the table.

"Okay, I'll have two Lemonade-Lime sodas." Adam said.

The man glared at him. "That'll be 3.50."

"Here you go." Adam pulled out a 5. The man took it and put it in the register and went to the soda table. "Hey, I gave you a five, where's my change?" He said reaching for the metal napkin case.

"Right here!" The man said as he pulled out a pistol from under the station.

Adam flung the napkin dispenser at the pistol before the man could line up a shot. They connected and the shot deflected. "Youlan!" The boy cried as he leapt over the counter, pulling out the knife from his pants in the process.

"Hit the deck!" Youlan cried as he kicked the table over. Meyrin, Vino, and Youlan dove behind it just as it began to rain bullets.

Adam sliced open the neck of the man that attempted to kill him and grabbed his weapon from the floor. From the alleyways opposite of the store, three gun toting men came out wearing blue on some part of their clothing. "Your race has ended Coordinator! For a pure and blue world!" One of them cried.

Meyrin screamed as Adam fired shots from over the counter into the attacking men, taking one out. "Who the hell are these guys?" He yelled as he jumped over the counter and rolled into the back of the table, dodging another hail of bullets.

"It's Blue Cosmos! Damn extremists!" Youlan said as Vino cowered.

An orange haired Coordinator walked through the bazaar sipping on a soda in full uniform. "Well, I'm glad that girl turned in my forms. This is a really nice day today." Heine sighed as he stretched. Then the sound of gunshots reached his ears. "What the…?" His phone rang in his pocket, which he quickly answered. "Westenfluss."

"There's an emergency beacon active in the bazaar, can you assist?"

"Affirmative." He said as he pulled out his pistol and ran towards the sounds.

After more shots at the enemy, the familiar clicking sound of an empty gun made Adam drop down behind their shield again. "Shit! It's empty! I don't have another clip!"

"Then it's time for you to say sayonara, you monster!" Another radical came out from the alley to the left of them and lowered his machine gun at them.

Everything went in slow motion for the four doomed teens as Adam held Meyrin, using himself as a shield for her. A bullet pierced the brute's back, and a man with a red ZAFT uniform with a FAITH emblem ran in front of him as he began to fall. Heine pointed his pistol at the man's head. "Sayonara." He pulled the trigger.

"Heine-san!" Adam and Meyrin cried as he dove behind their shield.

"Never a dull moment is there? Just the way I like it!" He smiled as he put his pistol down. He took off for the machine gun that the man had carried, just as another one came forward. "Shit!" He said as the rifle was leveled at him. A knife flew past his ear and embedded itself in the dangerous man's forehead. Heine took a quick glance back as he picked up the gun. Adam still had his arm outstretched and he was panting heavily. Heine smiled for a second as he cocked his new weapon and began firing as he ran behind them, strafing the charging men, taking them out.

Heine knocked out a second table and took cover behind it. With his weapon he picked off the men that continued to come from the alleys. What he didn't see was the man emerging from the alley behind him and to his left. "Hey, look out!" Vino cried as he saw the man. In the time it took for Heine to turn his head, three bullets embedded themselves into the evil Natural's heart. The one behind the now smoking pistol was Meyrin.

Heine took out the last of the emerging Naturals and the gunfire stopped. On the roof looking down on them was the man with the beret. "Damn it!" He reached down and lugged a rocket launcher onto his shoulder. "Why won't you Coordinators die? For a pure and blue world!"

A shot echoed through the square, and the man fell off the roof, splatting onto the concrete below. "Zulu, Alpha, Zulu, two, nine, five! You're clear!" A man called down from the roof where the man used to stand.

"Shank you!" Heine said as he stood up and waved to the ZAFT soldier on the roof. "We're clear guys, it's safe now."

Meyrin's eyes trembled as she stayed in the same position as when she fired the weapon. Adam put his hands around hers. "Meyrin." She gasped suddenly. "It's okay. It's over." Her hands lost all grip, and the pistol fell to the concrete. She doubled over and started to sob. Adam wrapped his arms around her as he whispered into her ear. "It's okay, you're safe now. Nothing else bad is going to happen."

Youlan and Vino stood up. Vino made a face. "Look at that! I'm in shock too! Why can't I get treatment like that?"

"Would you like me to instead?" Youlan shot him a glance.

"On second thought, screw the shock." Vino took a step away.

Heine pulled out his phone. "The danger has passed with no visible injuries, but get a medical team down here just in case." He sighed as he closed the phone. "Well, this is turning out to be quite the eventful day."

As the sun began to set on the water, Shinn gingerly placed the blonde girl on a rock in a dry spot at the entrance to a cave. She continued sobbing, and she was still in a rather depressed state. "Hey, it'll be okay now." Shinn said as he sat down in front of her. "I…I'm going to protect you."

The word protect triggered a reaction, as she stopped crying and looked straight into his red eyes. "Protect?"

Shinn nodded. "So you'll be okay. No matter what happens, you won't die." He kindly placed his hand on hers.

In an unexpected move, she took his and in both of hers and placed it against her cheek. Her eyes shone at its kind warmth. "Protect?"

Shinn nodded once more. "Protect. Definitely." She just sighed as she held his hand for a moment. Though nothing was said, Shinn knew she was greatful. He stood up and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. After he rang it out, he started drying her hair. "Are you cold?" She didn't respond as he caught the sight of blood. He knelt down to her leg, where she was bleeding from her ankle. "You must have cut yourself on a rock. Does it hurt?" Being the numb person she normally was, she didn't notice until he mentioned it. At the new pain, she squeaked slightly. "Don't worry, I'll take care of that." Shinn smiled as he rang out the hankie again. He tied the piece of blue-green fabric to her ankle tightly.

"Eh? This is…."

"It's yours now. I got it a long time ago in a country far away, so take good care of it."

"Unh." She whispered.

Shinn stood up and looked around, seeing only rocks, a cave, a few dead branches, and ocean. He spoke to himself as he continued surveying. "What are we going to do now? She can't swim, so I can't take her anywhere." He sighed as he pulled out one of his dog tags from around his neck. "I'll probably be scolded later, not to mention the rumors, but there's no other option. Oh well, one emergency beacon, coming up." He snapped apart the tag.

As the medics checked up on Adam, Heine felt it was a great time to give the poor boy an earful. "What were you thinking, picking a fight with Blue Cosmos? You had two knives and they had Uzis. You could have gotten everyone killed!"

"I've told you this before, I didn't provoke them, they planned this." The boy shot a glare at him as the medic plucked a small piece of shrapnel from his skin. "Ow! Look, the whole thing was a trap that we got stuck in. Youlan cracked the beacon before the shit hit the fan."

"Then why'd you walk into it to begin with? Baka!"

"By the time we realized what was going on, we were already surrounded. If we turned around and headed the other way, they would have jumped out and shot us in the back. If we had let on that we knew about the plan, they would have attacked anyway. There was absolutely no way to avoid it!"

"Fine, fine. I'll let it slide." The orange haired FAITH boy stopped another medic. "How are the others?"

"Physically, the same as him, but that girl is still in shock. I'm going to recommend a counselor for her."

"Mind if I try my hand first?" Adam asked. "I think I can get through to her."

"I'm sorry, but in this condition there's a high probability that you might make things worse. I can't let…."

"I authorize it." Westenfluss broke in.

"What?"

"I authorize it. Adam will go and see what he can do for her. He is her boyfriend after all."

"But didn't you hear what I just said?" The medic said.

"Didn't you see the emblem on my collar? This is an order." Heine pointed to his FAITH insignia. "Now let him see her."

"Hai." The medic grumbled.

"Thanks, Westenfluss-san." Adam sighed in relief.

"Heine, call me Heine. I figured I owed both you and that girl of yours, considering you two saved my ass twice."

"You've just got to learn to look behind you, Heine-san."

The man just laughed. "Maybe you're right, maybe not. You should go check on your girl."

"Yeah, thanks." Adam said as he grabbed a blanket from the medical truck and headed towards the pigtailed girl.

Inside the cave, Shinn had fashioned a drying rack for his and the girl's clothes out of some large branches. Next to them was a small fire made of some small dry twigs. He and the girl sat back to back to make sure they didn't see each other's top-naked forms, even though it didn't seem like the girl didn't really care, she huddled her knees against her chest for warmth. Shinn broke the uneasy, and rather uncomfortable silence. "So are you from Diocvia? What's your name? You do know what I'm saying, right?"

"My name…Stellar. Town…I don't know."

Shinn picked up an unlit stick and prodded the fire. "Then who do you normally stay with? Your mother, or father perhaps?"

"Neo…Sting…Auel…are the ones. Father…and mother…I've never known."

Shinn lowered his head. "Oh. Something really traumatic must have happened to you."

"Traumatic?" Stellar echoed as she turned towards him slightly.

"Um, sorry! I was just thinking out loud. You're alright now, remember?" He turned his head and looked at her with one eye. 'The poor thing.' He thought to himself. 'Hey, she's got a really smooth back. Hey wait a minute!' He turned away quickly and pulled his legs up to his chest. "I mean I'll be here to protect you, yeah."

"Stellar will be protected? I won't die?" A little more happiness came into her voice.

Shinn turned towards her again. "Yeah. You won't die. You'll be safe." He turned away quickly as he realized he was staring at her back again. 'I don't know whether to be happy about this situation or embarrassed.' "Um, I'm Shinn. Shinn Asuka."

"Shinn?"

"Yeah, Shinn." He unwittingly turned again. "Do you think you can remember it?"

She turned away and clasped her hands together with a joyful smile on her face. "Shinn."

She stood up suddenly, giving the boy a perfect view of her posterior, thankfully covered in underwear. A part of his mind embraced that image, but the rest of him was confused at her actions. Stellar rummaged through her drying dress and clasped something in her hands. She turned towards him, cradling the unknown item, but also giving him a look at her nakedness. His hair stood on end as he turned away as fast as possible and buried his face in his knees. "Umm…that's a bit…well…."

"Here." Stellar stood next to him and held her hand out in front of his face.

"For me?" He turned back towards her instinctively, getting an even closer view than before at her shameless display. Shinn closed his eyes and shook the image from his head as he blushed wildly. After pausing for a second, he opened his eyes and took the small item from her hand. "You're giving this to me?" It was a small piece of pink opalescent shell, appearing to be only one part of a whole piece. "Arigato." Shinn once again turned, and whipped back around. "Agh, dammit! I did it again!" He pounded his palm into his forehead as Stellar smiled and sat back to back with him again.

Adam stopped next to Meyrin as she sat on a wall, her feet dangling over the edge. The setting sun made it hard to see her eyes, but the rest of her face was total sadness. Adam unfurled the blanket and draped it over her shoulders. He mounted the wall and rubbed her back. This action continued for at least five minutes, but the time was lost between them. Finally, the boy spoke. "The ice cream place had some good stuff, didn't it?"

"Yeah."

"I liked the selection that the music store had. Not often you find vintage vinyl."

"Yeah."

"And then there was that clothing store! I swear, if I hadn't pulled you away from all those soft fuzzy sweaters, you'd have been there all day!"

The girl chuckled. "Yeah."

"Oh, but that last shop was terrible! Did you notice that all the sodas they had tasted metallic?"

"Yeah." Meyrin continued to chuckle.

Adam took a deep breath and held her close. "That was your first time, wasn't it?"

Her laughing stopped cold, and her voice almost dropped off. "Yeah."

"Everyone has to have a first time at some point when you're in war, Meyrin, you know that, right?"

"Yeah."

He whispered into her ear. "Meyrin, I know what you're going through. My first kill was the day I came out of that hole in the ground."

"But when I close my eyes…."

"You can see his face. I know. I'm the same way with mine, not a day goes by when I don't see their faces."

"My chest hurts. The pain won't go away, will it?"

"No. That's the reality of the situation, Meyrin. I'm not going to lie to you and say that nothing has changed, because everything has changed. Meyrin, look at me." She lifted her head and her tearstained pale blue orbs met with his brown ones. "It's up to you as to if it changes for the better or not. We have to keep going forward."

"I know." The girl whispered as she put her head down again. "It's just…."

"It's just what?"

"It's just…so cold now. I can't stop shaking." She whimpered. "This blanket isn't enough to keep me warm."

"I understand." Adam held the girl's hands in his. "Then let me warm you now, and we'll make it through this together." Meyrin nodded as a tear ran down her cheek. Adam wrapped himself in the blanket with her and held her closer than ever before, and they shared a long, necessary kiss.

As the blue-black sky of the night overtook the ocean, the fire had died out inside the cave, the clothes were relatively dry, and they were back on their respective owners. Shinn and Stellar huddled together as a boat motor sounded from outside. A bright light entered the cave, making them flinch. Athrun called into it from the boat. "You activate your emergency beacon when on shore leave? When you pull something, you manage to do it with flair, I'll give you that."

Shinn emerged, shielding his eyes from the bright light. "Daicho!"

"I'm not sure I want to know how you managed to get stuck in a place like this."

"Hey, I didn't really get stranded. It's just that…." Shinn continued on as Stellar came out of the cave and hid behind the boy, grabbing his arm.

"Hmm?" Athrun's eyebrows raised in surprise. A smaller boat came out to the shallow water, and the pilot tossed Shinn a blanket, which he draped over the girl. They were taken into the larger vessel and started to work their way around the rocks towards port.

Athrun pulled Shinn aside and asked for an explanation. "She fell off the cliff I was by and went into the ocean. I dove in after her and I pulled her out here, but since she can't swim, we weren't able to find a way out."

"Do you know if she's from Diocvia?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure. Her past…it seems to be jumbled in her mind."

"Eh?"

"My guess is that she's like me, losing her parents, and then going through some really bad times. I just hope no one had raped her or anything like that."

"You mean you didn't find out first hand?"

"Daicho!"

"Okay, I'm sorry. That was uncalled for. So, what's her name?"

"Stellar."

"No last name?"

"She won't tell me."

"How about her home? Where she lives?"

"Like I said, her memories are all out of place it seems. I'm not sure if she even knows herself."

"Well, it's a unique name. Even so, without any other information, we'll have to take her back to base and do a background check on her."

As they passed the cliff where she fell off, two male voices reached her sensitive ears. "Stellar!" Sting called out.

"Oy! Stellar! Where'd you go, kono baka?" Auel insulted her absent form with real concern. At the sound of their voices she stood up and looked back, smiling widely.

Shinn, who was still comforting her, looked up onto the cliff. "Daicho! I think we just got our lead!"

The cleanup work was done on the scene of the battle, as Adam and Meyrin watched the stars together. Heine kept an eye on them from a short distance. "Okay people, we're moving out!"

"Um, Westenfluss-san." Vino yawned as he came up to the man. "What about them?" He motioned to the couple.

"We'll let them come back on their own. Night's still young after all." He shrugged as he walked away. Vino shrugged as he followed in short order.

After the boat docked, Shinn, Athrun, Stellar, and a driver piled into a jeep and headed for the cliffs. A black sports car was driving the opposite way. Shinn stood up and squinted for a moment. "I think that's them!"

"Okay, stop the car." Athrun said to the driver. He hit the breaks and honked the horn to get them to stop.

As the sports car screeched to a halt, Stellar let out a happy cry. "Sting!"

"Eh?" Auel said as he looked over his seat.

"Stellar?" Sting gasped in surprise as he started to come out of the car.

"Hey! That's a ZAFT Jeep!" Auel gripped his headrest.

"Sting!" The girl ran barefoot, with the blanket wrapped around her towards them. Shinn and Athrun took their time heading for them as well.

"Hey, that's a red uniform." Auel stated the obvious.

"Shush!" Sting hissed. Stellar panted happily as she threw herself into him. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Um, she fell into the ocean. I happened to be nearby, so I went in after her. I'm glad we found you, though. Since there's so little we know about her, so we really didn't know what to do with her." Shinn came up to the group.

"Oh I see. I should apologize. I got a little suspicious for a second. Thank you for all the trouble you've gone through to return her to us." Sting acted totally professional.

Auel stared at them in hatred, until Athrun noticed. When he turned his head, the sky-blue haired boy was looking away. Then a flash of memory came to Athrun, realizing he saw three people quite similar to them on Armory One the day the Gundams were stolen. He shrugged it off and told the driver to swing the jeep around. "Well then. We should get going."

Sting's playacting continued as Athrun and Shinn hopped into the Jeep. "ZAFT has taken great care of us. Thank you again."

On impulse, Stellar walked up to the side of the automobile. "Shinn, you're leaving?"

"Eh? Um, sorry, but yeah. I have to." Stellar sighed at this news. "But now you're back with your brothers, right? You'll be okay now." She let out a sorrowful tone. "Um, oh boy…. Hey, tell you what. I'll come visit you sometime, okay?"

"Eh?" Stellar looked into his eyes.

"We're going now, Shinn." Athrun sighed.

"Ah…Hai." He responded. As the jeep started to move, Stellar took a few steps forward after it. "I'm really sorry, Stellar! But I promise you…I'm positive… really… that we'll meet again!"

"Shinn." She peeped.

"Stellar! I'll come see you sometime soon!" He said as the car rounded a corner.

"Shinn…" She sighed.

"Geez, that gave me a scare." Auel said as he flipped into his seat. "What a pain."

"Yeah, no kidding." Sting said as he shut the car door and started it up. "Stellar, let's get going."

"Shinn…. He promised. He promised he'd protect Stellar."

"Stellar! Get in the car!" Sting demanded. She complied as she got in the back seat, eyeing the handkerchief on her ankle.

As they drove off, Auel whispered into Sting's ear. "Looks like a complete overhaul."

"Yeah."

Once again, Shinn looked back, trying to catch a glimpse of the blonde beauty. Athrun took notice of his reaction, and wondered what really happened in that cave.

Meyrin sighed as she leaned into Adam. "You're so warm."

"I could say the same thing."

"Adam, thank you. Without you here…. What would I ever do without you?"

"I think that's my line." Adam said right before he kissed her again. When they broke, he looked at his watch. "We should start heading back."

"Yeah." Meyrin hopped off the wall and turned around with a big smile on her face. "Now, let's start planning our next prank! I think I've got one that would get Ray good."

"There's the Meyrin I know and love." Adam dismounted and he draped the blanket over them as they slowly made their way back to Minerva. Behind them, two shooting stars traced parallel paths in the night sky.

Life Goes On.

Chapter 11 Preview: A battle can determine the winner or loser between those that fight. But it does not mean the end to all battles. As ORB forces join the EAF in their retaliation, the hearts of three ZAFT pilots become troubled. Will they have to fight the nation that they had known best? And what is this new force playing its hand? Next time on Old Friends Anew: The Blade that Splits the Sky. Blast your way through the maze of fire, Freedom!


	11. Old Friends Anew Ch 11

Old Friends Anew

Phase-11: The Blade that Splits the Sky

"Hey Shinn, heard you had a fated encounter with a damsel in distress." Adam chuckled.

Shinn's soda splashed up his nose as he sputtered. "Sh…shut up! How'd you hear about something like that?"

"Just a little something I picked up from the grapevine. So, was she hot?"

"Leave me alone." Shinn mumbled before blowing out the soda in his nose with a tissue.

"I'll take that as a yes. Heard you were soaked to the bone saving her. Bet you two had to go naked while your clothes dried." Adam squinted at Shinn. The boy being attacked never wanted to kill is friend more in his life. "Oh, but wasn't it nighttime when they picked you two up? You must've had to cuddle with her to share body heat until they came."

"No we didn't!" Shinn finally burst as he slammed down his can, "I had a fire going!"

"Ah-ha! So she was naked!" Adam grinned and flashed the victory sign. Shinn gritted his teeth and slapped his forehead, realizing he'd been duped.

Meanwhile, out in lunar orbit, the EAF and ZAFT were engaged in a fairly large skirmish. Explosions covered the emptiness of space. Two EAF Dagger suits flew in formation, and one was taken out by a battleship's weapon, while the other was blown back and attempted to return fire. A GINN flew around aimlessly before its battery overloaded and the suit exploded, sending the head of the destroyed Dagger spinning into view. Mobile suits exchanged blows, battleships evaded and fired at their targets, shrapnel was flying everywhere. It was truly a horrific scene.

"Kuso!" Commander Yzak Joule cursed as he started up his custom blue Zaku's shoulder mounted CWIS machine guns, taking out a Dagger. "No one is winning this! This is just a slaughter of both sides! Dearka, status report!"

Dearka Elsman, second in command of the Joule squad, fired his custom green Zaku's buster cannon, taking out a Dagger and piercing the battleship behind it. "I've lost Sandy and Kei, but the rest are still fighting. I'm running low on power to my Agni cannon, I'll have to switch to melee combat soon."

"Do what you have to do. We can't let them take this position!"

"Yokhai."

The rich creator of Logos sat in his chair staring at the TV screens that lined his wall. "Just what the hell is going on?"

The man he was communicating with via video-conferencing, the President of the United States, answered as calmly as possible. "You should already know the answer to that. You're the one that complained when our plans weren't done, and not only that, but we forced the war into being just like you said. All of our attacks have either been countered or dodged, and we're now at a total stalemate. If this keeps up, rebellions will pop up across the globe. Our tentative alliances have already started to deteriorate!"

"Who said I was asking about that?" The first man scowled. The President was caught off guard at the outburst. "I want to know what you're going to do about the situation! 'Beat, eradicate, and desecrate the Coordinators!' We rallied the mobs of citizens with chants like these for you! And you're just going to let that be snuffed out?" The man slammed his glass of fine wine on his armrest. His cat awoke from the sound.

"Jibril…"

The said man stood up and pointed at the President. "The weak always side with the powerful, and only the victor is the one that is called just! The Eurasian rebellions are occurring because you ignored the situations there for too long!"

"But our hands are full over here! You should also talk considering your Phantom Pain hasn't contributed anything major anyway!"

"That's because…." Jibril stopped as he had an idea. "Of course! ORB!"

"Eh?"

"That nation belongs to us now, and as of yet, they haven't done anything. Their forces should be able to turn the tide."

"Ah."

"Let's send them to the Black Sea and see what happens. They'll beat ZAFT in responsibility to our… oh so kind alliance. They cannot say no to us anymore, especially after that shocking little event a short while back."

"The Black Sea?" Captain Todoka and his officers stood at attention in front of Yuna Rouma Seiran's desk.

"Yep." The blue-haired man said. "To comply with the alliance treaty, we're sending a force to the Black Sea to assist the EAF in defeating ZAFT in that location." The officers gasped in shock and shared looks. "Takemikazuchi will be the flagship, and I'll be on it as the supreme commander. Well, since the country is in turmoil with our Representative missing, we have to make a statement on where we stand in the world."

"Ah…"

Yuna leaned forward on his desk and stared into Todoka's eyes. "I'm counting on you for this one. Make sure you don't fail, this time for sure."

"Yes, sir!" He saluted, and the other officers shortly followed.

"No! You can't take this! I won't let you!" Inside the space battleship Girty Lue of the EAF, hidden from view by satellite, a man in a mask stopped. After a questioning tone, he went into the lab where the three Gundam pilots sleep. Stellar was cradling something in her arms, yelling at the technicians. "Stay away! Don't touch me!"

"Okay, we get it already. We won't do it again." One of the techs said.

Sting and Auel watched the proceedings from their cradles. Auel sighed. "I knew it."

"What's going on here?" The man of authority came in.

"Neo!" Stellar pleaded with her eyes.

"Um, nothing really." The tech said as he went up to him and whispered. "Before we put her down for the night, we tried to take a look at her injured leg. When that handkerchief came off though, she got mad and started screaming."

"So, that's what it is?" Neo approached the trembling girl. "I'm sorry Stellar." He placed a hand on her knee and stroked her hair. "It's okay. No one will take it away."

The girl still had doubt. "Really?"

"Definitely. Nobody would take anything important away from you, Stellar. So just relax and have a good sleep."

She sighed as she calmed down. "Okay."

"Good." Neo stood up and went behind the computer console. "You know the drill."

Sting, Auel, and Stellar took to their sleeping positions. The capsule closed on Stellar. "Shinn. I don't want to…forget…." A tear slid onto her nose as the machine started up, and she went into a dreamless sleep.

Neo sighed. "Now I feel like the evil old man. 'Nobody would take anything important away' eh?"

As the techs studied the children's readings, one conversed with him. "You handle her so well every time, though."

"Are we better off with or without memories? My heart beats hard at that question whenever I think about it. I've never seen her make such a fuss. Something really significant had to have happened to prompt that reaction."

"That's true. There's a really strong impression on her. I'd like to meet this person, because no one has had more effect on her other than you. But, I'm sure we can delete that."

The second tech also looked at his station. "Personnally, I'm thinking that they're a bit happier without memories. Emotions just get in the way for battle machines like them. It'll make them less efficient otherwise."

"True. I know that." Neo sighed. "Whatever they learn or think of, there's nothing they can do."

"Don't get emotionally attached to them. It'll make things worse later on."

"I shouldn't have let them go into town. Well, I'll let you get to that maintenance you do so well. A lot has happened to them, I'm sure."

"Yes sir."

"For one who is afraid of death, the only way for her to stay alive is to defeat her enemies." Neo left the techs to their work with that thought.

Minerva's MS hangar had a new occupant, which the entire mechanic crew looked up at. "ZGMF-X2000, Gouf, ka?" Vino looked up at the orange machine.

"Doesn't look too much different from a Zaku does it?" Youlan tilted his head. "We sure are getting a lot of new models as of late. Falcon, Savior, and now this."

The chief came by and handed each one a data card. "Here. Take a manual. Study the whole thing so we can work on it."

As this was going on, Heine Westenfluss introduced himself to the captain and the XO, and was assigned to be given a tour of the ship with Athrun as his escort. When they made it to the lounge, the other pilots were already there. Ray introduced himself as he saluted. "Ah! So this is the pilot of the Blaze Zaku Phantom, ne?" Heine returned the salute. "I'm Hiene Westenfluss. Glad to meet you. The Minerva sure is top of the line, isn't she?" He went further in and the other three pilots saluted him, in which he quickly saluted back. He turned to Athrun. "The Nazca class is way different."

"Eh, well, that's definitely true."

"Westenfluss-daicho, were you stationed on a Nazca until now?" Luna seemed to have gotten over her hissy fit.

"Heine. Call me that instead of being so formal, the atmosphere gets so stuffy otherwise. And to answer your question, isn't it a basic for a ZAFT pilot?" He leaned forward and waggled a finger at her. "If I remember right, you're Lunamaria?"

"Um, hai." She answered stiffly.

"I was at ZAFT HQ until now. I even piloted in the opening battle of this new war." He put his hands on his hips and looked around the room.

"Should you really be bragging about something like that?" Adam scratched his head.

"Adam!" Athrun scolded.

"No, it's okay Athrun. I can see how that came off as bragging, but I was just stating a fact. I apologize." Heine stretched.

With all the pilots there, Shinn decided to ask the obvious. "Daicho, what are we going to do?"

"Westenfluss-daicho has more experience than I do, Shinn." Athrun answered.

The orange-haired officer turned around and waved his finger in the air. "He-i-ne." He corrected, and Athrun looked away. "Uh? But what was that? They actually call you 'Daicho'?"

"Ah, no…well, yes, they do."

Ray stepped forward. "During our battles so far, he has been in command, and so we call him such."

"It's not just that, but we all agree that he's deserving of the title." Adam cracked a knuckle.

"Geh!" Heine grunted oddly. "Uhhh…I really don't think it's a smart idea to build that kind of wall around him though." They all let out a stunned tone before he continued. "We're all the same when the shooting starts, right? If you've got a FAITH emblem, wear a red uniform, or a green uniform, we're all the same. We're different from the morons in the EAF who can't fight without being given orders, right?" He waved his hand in front of his nose, implying that they also stank.

Athrun smiled. "Hai."

"That's why we can all be on the same level." He raised his index finger to the sky. "Ah! Wait a minute. Are you guys just bullying him because he re-enlisted?" He leaned forward and looked to each of the other pilots with his narrow eyes.

"Um, no!" Athrun said quickly as the others were taken off guard.

"We wouldn't do anything of the sort." Shinn said.

"That's true, they'd have to bully me too because I just enlisted myself!" Adam pointed a thumb to his chest.

"The only one that can bully you is me, anyway." Shinn said as he put him in a headlock and gave him a noogie.

"Hey, cut that…you're messing my hair!"

"Take that you little…."

"Well then," Heine interrupted. "Don't be all 'daicho' on him then." Shinn dropped Adam as the FAITH man pointed towards the dark-blue haired comrade. "And it's your fault too, Athrun! You never told them to call you by name!"

"Please pardon me." Athrun was still smiling as he lowered his head.

"Well, the six of us are a team now." Heine said as he turned around and started to walk away. "Let's go match up our tempos." Luna and Ray followed him while Athrun, Shinn, and Adam stayed behind for a little bit.

"He's very admirable. I wish I could be like him." Athrun sighed. "But it's a bit tough for me to do."

"Daicho…" Shinn started to say something.

"That's Athrun, Shinn. Well, I guess it's not that hard after all."

"I don't think you should be like him. He's too laid back. Honestly, I don't get how he can even be in FAITH. I mean the posture itself is lazy." Adam said. "I think you're cooler than him, Daicho."

"I told you it's Ath…."

"Iie. It's up to me as to what I call you." Adam silenced his friend. "And I think 'Daicho' suits you just fine."

Athrun sighed. "Well I guess there's no pleasing everyone."

Heine turned around at the other side of the room. "Oy! What are you doing, Athrun? Sleeping?" He thrust his finger at his target. "Aren't you supposed to be giving me the grand tour?"

"Ah! Sorry about that!" Athrun said as the three lingering pilots jogged towards him.

Approaching the Cape of Good Hope, ORB's forces were encountering a storm. Yuna, in his military uniform, grabbed a waste bucket and regurgitated his lunch and some of his breakfast into it after he turned green.

On the bridge of the flagship, one of the officers sighed. "The sea is a bit rough today."

Todoka answered him. "Even though it's only beginning. I'm guessing it will take an hour for the fleet to get through this."

"Correct. This is a small low pressure system, but who ever thought we'd have to go around the Cape of Good Hope?"

"That's something we can't help. The Black Sea is our stage. No one would be watching if we fought in our own Indian Ocean, though the opponent is the same."

"Even though I shouldn't say this, I really have doubts about this whole thing. Not invading other nations, not being invaded by other nations, not involving ourselves in other nations' disputes. That was the ideal ORB and military, but now…."

"Ah, I know. But I suppose this is a way to protect the nation, from at least one potential enemy. Really, we gave our hopes and ideals to Archangel and Cagalli-sama for protection. If this doesn't stop in time, let's just hope she's watching."

"Hai."

In Suez, Neo sat in the captain's office of the John Paul Jones. "So they're sending ORB to help us, eh?"

The captain was standing next to him as he read the paper. "Carriers: one. And escorts: six. They plan on getting here by sunset tomorrow."

"Hmm…So we're supposed to take the Black Sea back with these new troops." Neo leaned back and crossed his legs. "They must enjoy making things hard for us. We've got so much to do and so little time."

"Yes, that's true."

"Well, can't be helped. Thank you. After all, we need that area under our control." Neo said as he stood up. "I'm going to check on our pilots."

As he said that, in the Girty Lue, Stellar sat up, now awakened from her sleep. She looked at the piece of fabric she was holding. "What is this thing?" She left it in her cradle as she stood up and walked out.

Two days later, the sun began to set on Suez, and the ORB ships began to enter port, passing by a tugboat with a hidden passenger aboard that was taking pictures.

Surveillance of the EAF had paid off for ZAFT forces. They now knew about the reinforcements. Athrun, Heine, Arthur, and Talia gathered around the map table on the bridge. "We don't know if they will attack Gibraltar or come here, but since they're getting help, we can assume that it's a retaliatory strike. They want to get the Suez supply route up and running again. HQ agrees, but as usual we won't know until we get there."

"Yes." Arthur sighed.

Heine took the initiative. "So, leaving out the new forces, what does Suez have as of right now? How large of a force are we up against?"

"If we ignore the numbers," Gladys sighed. "There's the carrier we met in the Indian Ocean, meaning Bogey-1 will probably be there as well."

Athrun stiffened as Arthur started to stutter. "You mean the ones with the stolen units?"

"Correct. Considering that they'll probably be joining the fight, it'll be tricky."

Heine leaned over to Athrun and whispered. "Stolen units…she means the Armory One incident, right?"

"Hai, that's the one." He said.

"In any case, we'll be launching. We'll be on the front line at the Straits of Dardanelles while we cross into the Sea of Marmara. We'll leave at 0600 hours."

"Hai!" Athrun and Arthur said. Heine just nodded.

"Well, I'll start preparing for departure right away." Arthur said as he started to turn away.

"Yes, please do. And Arthur, send Adam with a carrier to retrieve Falcon and its new parts." The captain said.

"Hai."

As everyone turned away, Captain Gladys remembered something. "Oh Athrun."

"Yes ma'am?"

"The reinforcements the EAF has received, they're from ORB." Athrun took a step back and Arthur stopped in his tracks. Heine noticed their reactions. "Even though it's sad to say, but they're a part of the Alliance now."

"ORB…? That can't…!"

"But to stop the advances into the Black Sea has been given as an order to all of ZAFT in the area. There is no way to avoid this battle. Please understand that." The only sound for a while was the computer fans running. "That country is now in the Earth Alliance. Will you be okay?"

"Hai." Athrun said slowly and blankly.

Adam layed back on his bed with his hands behind his head. The door slid open and Shinn walked in. "There you are, man! We're gonna be late for dinner if we don't leave soon."

"Yeah, give me a second." Shinn said as he put the glass jar he held in his hands on his dresser.

"Eh? What's that for?"

Shinn unscrewed the cap. "For this." He put the shard of shell he had in his pocket in the jar and screwed the top back on.

Adam put his chin on the table and looked into the glass. From the opposite side, his face was all distorted. "Auda? What's this thing?"

"Stellar gave it to me."

"Stellar? Oh, you mean that girl you got naked with." Adam found himself on the floor with a lump on his head. "Ouch."

Shinn rubbed his elbow where it contacted the boy's skull. "Now will you please shut up about that?"

"Lucky Pervert." Adam muttered. Shinn stepped on him for that one.

As he squirmed under the boy's foot, the doorbell rang. "Adam, are you in there?" It was the XO.

Adam smiled up at his roommate as Shinn pouted and lifted his foot. Adam stood up and brushed himself off. "Yeah, what is it XO?" He said as he opened the door.

"Grab your gear. We're going to get Falcon."

"Wha? Now?"

"This ship is going into battle tomorrow morning. And we need Falcon back before that happens."

"Eh?" Adam and Shinn said at the same time.

"We'll outline the details tomorrow in briefing, but we need to go now so we can get it back. The carrier will take us to Sheridan's shop, you'll pilot Falcon back, while the carrier returns with the spare parts."

"Okay. Well Shinn, looks like I'll be missing out on dinner again. Ja ne." Adam said as he put on his uniform jacket and went with Arthur.

"Uh…hai."

Arthur and Adam walked up to the front gate of Sheridan's Shop, and the beam saber trap activated. The Zaku eye glowed in the night turned towards them. "Password?"

"Nine kegs of dark beer that you're not going to get unless you let us in!" Adam kicked the Zaku eye through the last three words.

"Eh, close enough. Welcome back guys." The trap deactivated and lights lit up on each of the sculptures along the pathway to the tent.

When they made their way inside, seeing no one there, Adam called out. "Hey Alan! Where'd you go?"

"Wha? I'm in the back!" A speaker amplified his voice.

Arthur felt the ground shake under his feet and intervals. "He must be in his mobile suit."

A large explosion rattled the items in the tent. "YYYEEEEEEEOOOOOOWWWWWW!" Alan cried before he hit something with a THUD, most likely the ground. "Nope, I take that back! I'm in the front now!"

Adam and Arthur sweatdropped. "Same as always."

Alan came stumbling through the tent coughing up smoke. "I think that was a record distance. So what can I do for you guys?"

"We're here to pick up our parts and deliver payment." Arthur said. "Is there a good place for our carrier jet to land?"

"Um yeah, land it in the firing range." Alan wiped the dirt off his face with a shop towel.

Arthur pulled out a radio. "FlyingDog, bring it down next to that big watertower looking thing."

"Yokhai." The pilot said over the radio. The three soon heard the engines of the jet landing.

"So, mind showing me what you did?" Adam asked the young man.

"Sure, just follow me." Alan motioned to them as he went out the back. As they were walking, they passed ShEZAMS, the cockpit still smoking, and the one BaCOE eye glowing on and off. "Quit laughing!" Alan snarled at the machine.

When they got to the firing range, there was Falcon, standing proud and tall, with its shoulder shields on, with the blaster in one hand and shield in the other. It's gray metal form almost shimmered in the lights from the open carrier. "Wow!" Was Adam's only reply.

"Nice huh? I finished testing both shields, and it turns out that somehow I made it better than the original. There must have been some imperfections in the materials they used because your last one couldn't stand up to a positron cannon, right? These two will stand up to a positron cannon and a Gottfried each."

Adam whistled. "Good job. How'd the other cones turn out?"

"Oh they're just as good! Come over here." The red-headed mechanic walked a few yards to the first cone, sitting in a trailer bed. It had two blue pieces sticking out of its sides, and looked rather like handles. "This is the Meteorite Cone, full size. It's got two parts of the beam blade already inside it, and the saber boomerangs are these juts. Just pull them out and throw. This cone is lighter compared to the Comet, so you'll be going a little faster when you fly with it." They moved on to another trailer bed. "The Asteroid Cone, live and in living…um…grayness. Anyway, the buster cannon is telescopic and is put in the right side, and the missile battery and the generator is in the left. This one is heavy, so your movements will be a bit sluggish, but it makes up for it in raw power. And in the last flatbed is the other shield."

"Looks like we got just what we ordered." Arthur said as a forklift from the jet stopped beside them.

"Hey, I got your beer here. Where do you want it?" The driver asked.

"Just put it by ShEZAMS." Alan shrugged.

"By what?"

The 17-year old sighed. "Stick it next to the mobile suit."

"Understood." The driver headed in the direction he pointed.

"Looks like I'm getting what I ordered too." Alan smiled. "Now if I could just ask for…."

"Say no more." Arthur said. "Here's the rest of your payment." He handed the man a check.

"Thanks." The redhead took the check and grasped the XO's hand. "I'm glad we could do business together."

"As am I." Arthur smiled.

"Well I'm going to go and slip into my flight suit so we can get going." Adam said before he jogged into the jet.

By the time he re-emerged, with his yellow flight suit on and helmet under his shoulder, the second Reflector Shield was already being elevated to the second tier of the cargo hold, and the Asteroid cone was being moved in below it. When Adam got to his mobile suit, he found Alan standing at the cockpit platform. "I forgot to show you something!"

Adam grabbed the mounting rope and it raised up to the cockpit. He hopped onto the platform and looked at the teen. "So what did you do?"

"Boot her up and you'll see." Alan said.

Adam shrugged and hopped into his seat, hitting the main power switch and clicking his overhead startups. His screen in front of him displayed the normal ZAFT GUNDAM Operating System. When all was said and done, it looked totally normal. "What am I supposed to be looking for?"

"Open the OS screen. You'll see new programs and drivers for the other cones. Just to let you know, the Meteorite and Asteroid can't fire the vulcan cannons like the Comet would. There's no room in the Asteroid, and you'd be shooting off the Meteorite saber boomerangs. The additions I made to the OS lock out the vulcans in jet mode for those two cones. Everything else should be just the way you remember it."

"Yep, looks good." Adam looked through the programs. "Now will each code make the Phase Shift armor a different color like Impulse?"

Alan blinked. "There is such a thing?"

"That answers my question. Thanks for all you've done."

"Thanks for letting me work on this beautiful machine." They shook hands.

As Alan was about to grab the rope and dismount, Adam stopped him. "Hey. Think we'll meet again?"

"I don't think that the world is so big that we wouldn't. Good flying, kid." Alan saluted him as he dismounted.

Once he was down, the cable retracted and the cockpit closed around Adam. He got on the communications line. "Hey XO, how's it going down there?"

"They're closing the hatch as we speak." Arthur popped up on screen. "How's Falcon look?"

"You tell me." He smiled as he hit the Phase Shift button. The blue and brown armor shimmered into being.

"Looks like it just came off the assembly line." Arthur gave a thumbs up.

"Great. I'll get out of your way so you can lift off, and I'll be on your wing in short order afterwards." Adam stomped out of the way.

"Roger that. FlyingDog1, lifting off." The big green plane's engines roared to life and its wheels left the ground.

As he saw it fly off, a certain FAITH officer's lecture came to mind. _"'If I only had power back then… If only I'd gotten hold of power…' Remember that the moment you have that power in your hands, you're the ones that will make others cry. The battlefield will be ours once again soon. If you forget it then, losing yourself to selfish definitions of justice, you'll only be a destroyer, using power recklessly."_

"I have the power now, but I won't use it to destroy. I'll always remember to use this to protect the ones I hold most dear." Adam whispered to himself.

"_As long as you don't forget, you're an excellent pilot. If not, then 'baka' is the word to describe you." _

Adam smiled. "Adam Cancho, Falcon, kissing the sky!" His mobile suit bent its knees as the engines lit up on its back. The great machine jumped into the air, spinning into jet form before accelerating to catch up with the carrier. He continued to smile as he joined formation. 'This mobile suit, no, this gift from Cagalli-sama, will help me fulfill my promise. My promise to you, Meyrin.' He thought nothing but good thoughts for the rest of the flight.

"Eh? ORB!" Shinn was stunned at the news as he stabbed a carrot with his fork.

"Yep." Luna confirmed it. "The reinforcements they got are from ORB apparently."

"No way…why are they…?"

"I can't believe they'd actually go to the trouble of coming all this way!" Shinn didn't really feel like eating any more after the news, as Luna continued on. "But I guess they are EAF now. It's understandable." Shinn gnashed his teeth.

Early the next morning, as the sun began to rise, Adam went down to the Hangar to see what they did with the Falcon and its equipment. They had switched Falcon's platform to the last one, and fashioned one free Silhouette Hangar with a turnstile with all three cones in it. Once a cone was selected, a cart would automatically push it onto Falcon and then the launch process would begin. After giving it his seal of approval, the Minerva started moving from port. He decided to head out to the deck and say goodbye to Diocvia. When he exited the ship, he was surprised to see Athrun on the railing. "Ohayo, Daicho." As Athrun was about to correct him, Adam jumped in. "My choice remember? Anyway, trying to relax before the battle?" He asked as he leaned back against the railing.

"No. It's just that I have a lot of things on my mind right now."

"Eh? Like what? It's not a good thing to be concerned about other stuff before a big fight, right? Talk it out, and let's see if that makes you feel better."

"Well it regards our enemy in this fight. I'm surprised that you're not as worried as me about it."

"Hmm? We're fighting those EAF Gundams. So what? We've taken them on before."

"You mean you haven't heard?" Athrun's eyes went wide.

"Heard what?"

Athrun gripped the rail tightly. "The reinforcements that they got, they're from ORB." He whispered loudly.

To say that Adam was in shock was an understatement. Each part of his body refused to move. "O…O…ORB! That can't…they couldn't…they wouldn't!"

"Now you understand."

"Chikshou!" Adam slammed his fist on the railing, letting the metal echo the force he through into it. "Why? Why does it have to be like this? The country I was raised in, the one I loved is now my…my…CHIKSHOU!" He kicked the rail so hard it bent. Adam panted for a few moments. "Thank you for being honest with me, Daicho." He said before he walked away.

Athrun watched him walk away with a solemn look on his face. His recent memories of being in ORB with his best friends and his fiancé surfaced in him, and he held his fist against the rail as Heine walked up to him. "So you were in ORB after the war. I guess that's his story too, that Cancho boy. It's a nice place from what I hear."

"Eh, that's right." Athrun returned solemnly.

Heine leaned forward on the railing. "It's rather nice around here too, don't you think?"

"Hai."

"You don't want to go up against them, do you? Against ORB."

"No, I don't."

"Then who do you want to fight?"

That question took Athrun off guard. "Well, no, I don't really want to fight anyone."

"Ah, I knew it! Me too!" Heine smiled as he put his hand against his chest, but he instantly was more serious than he had ever been before. "That's all there is to it. Please understand that. We're all in a war, and we're in the military. Otherwise…you're going to wind up dead."

Athrun looked at him with sad green eyes. "Hai." He said slowly.

"I get it now." Yuna said in a meeting with Neo. "The Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara." He tried to look as proud as possible as he tapped a baton in his hand. "Hmm, if it were my choice, I'd intercept them here. We'll just take down their ships one by one as they come out of the straits. I think it would be best to approach it that way."

"Hmm." Neo nodded.

"Though ZAFT has Minerva on their side, with the right planning, we can take even her. That ship is the keystone to their bridge. If we take it down, then all of ZAFT will go into disarray."

Neo felt like showering the new man with false compliments. "That's just like the Supreme Commander of ORB. I'm glad to hear you say that. In that case, may I ask that ORB take the front for this battle? Your forces will divert them to the sides and we'll strike the flanks."

"Perfect! That's the way to do it, sleekly and beautifully." At this comment, Todoka scoffed silently.

"They'll move away from the straits as soon as they exit. I'm counting on you to take good care of them."

"Yes, most certainly. We'll show you what we're made of militarily."

As the two sides were anticipating fighting each other, a lone 18 year old freelance photographer found a spot on a grassy hill on the coast. She got set up low to the ground so she could take shots of this battle as it happened. She wasn't afraid of war. She participated in it last time around. That war claimed her boyfriend. The girl's name was Miriallia Haw, and she was about to get the shock of a lifetime.

"Distance to the Dardanelles Straits: 3000." One of the Minerva's bridge crew said.

"Send out the Condition Red Alert. Shield the bridge. Tai-kan, tai-mobile suit sento youi." The captain said.

"Preparing anti-ship and anti-mobile suit tactics." Arthur echoed.

In the pilot's locker room, Athrun zipped up his flight suit as Shinn slammed his locker door shut, and Adam gritted his teeth. As they went to the elevator in silence, Athrun ran after them. "Oi, Shinn, what's wrong?"

"Oh no, it's nothing. A whole lot of nothing. Even if we're fighting ORB, they're part of the EAF now."

They went into the elevator and it started to move. "Cagalli…." Athrun began saying. Shinn got even more annoyed at the girl's name, but Adam's interest perked up at the mentioning of his friend. "If she was still around, this may never have happened."

"Why the hell are you talking like that about her?"

"Although there's a lot she can't do, her emotions are honest and she acts on them properly."

"That doesn't mean shit now!" Shinn punched the wall.

"You're wrong, Shinn. It matters a lot to me. If it weren't for her, I'd probably be dead right now." Adam put his forehead against the cold metal wall.

"Yeah but for a nation's leader to work only on emotions? All of the Athhas are like that!"

"Didn't you two like ORB at one point?" Athrun looked to both of them in turn. "Is that why you're so angry? The current ORB, the one that couldn't save your families at Onogoro?"

"I still do." Adam said. "But if they're going to really do this, then I have no choice but to fight!"

"That's not it!" Shinn got in Athrun's face. The elevator opened at the hangar and Shinn stepped out before anything else could be said. The others followed.

"Yosh! What do you say we get this going? Operation Twilight of Dardanelles, kaishi!" Yuna sat in his comfy chair on the bridge.

"Huh?" Todoka and his second in command looked at him as if he were brainless.

"Oh, you don't know? Zeus and Electra's son is Dardanelles, the namesake of this strait all the way from Greek mythology. Isn't it a cool operation name?"

'Historians don't belong on battleships.' Todoka thought as he closed his eyes. "Start launching the mobile suit squadrons." He said to his second.

"Start launching the mobile suit squadrons!" The first officer repeated. "First, second, and fourth squadrons, launch." Murasame and Astray mobile suits began to take off from the deck of the ship.

On the JP Jones of the EAF, Neo watched from the bridge. A hand issued commands. "Activate Igelstellung. All weapons free."

The captain watched the ORB fleet. "ORB sure is lively today, even after that long and hard journey."

"Probably because they're desperate to protect something." Neo retorted. "Those types of people are quite powerful. Let's hope they give it their all. I hope we can finally sink that ship."

On the Minerva, the radar was lighting up like a Christmas tree. "Heat signatures confirmed. Number: 20. Mobile suits identified as ORBs Murasame and Astray."

"Launch the…." Talia was interrupted as Adam popped up on her screen.

"Captain."

"What is it?"

"Let me go out first. As an ORB citizen, I have to see if I can stop this."

"That's rather dangerous, going out alone. I can't authorize it."

"Captain, please. I know what ORB has done for this ship and its crew. If I can just get some of them to switch sides or to stop fighting all together, then I have to try!"

Gladys sighed. "Very well. But the moment they start locking weapons, I'm launching Savior and Impulse."

"Arigato, Captain. Meyrin, hook me up with Meteorite."

"Hai." The girl said.

In the hangar, Adam's mobile suit platform started to move up. Meyrin's voice echoed. "Opening Falcon Hangar. Meteorite Cone selection confirmed." The bladed weapons cone was pushed out onto the platform and locked into place on Falcon. "Platform set. Raising to liftoff position. Eject system engagement confirmed. Opening hatch." Adam's mobile suit hit the runway. "Course clear! Falcon hashin. Dozo!"

Adam hit the throttle as the four buzz checklist went off. "Adam Cancho, Falcon, kissing the sky!" His breaks released and he shot out of the Central Catapult. He pulled a loop and straightened out while his Phase Shift armor shimmered, heading slowly for the mobile suits ahead of him.

The radar operator on the ORB ship spotted something. "Mobile suits spotted. Number: One. This is…Todoka-san, it's M-3 Falcon!"

"Nani?" Captain Todoka leaned forward.

"That prototype unit?" Yuna was as surprised.

"The radar shadow is slightly different, but it's definitely Falcon."

"That ship is broadcasting on all frequencies!" The communications officer said.

"Let's hear it!" Todoka ordered.

"Attention ORB military forces. No doubt by now you have recognized my radar shadow." Adam said with a straight face. "I am Adam Cancho, Coordinator and citizen of ORB. You are currently on an intercept course with the battleship Minerva, where I am stationed. Being a citizen of your country I do not wish to conduct this battle. The ORB that I know has ideals to upkeep and this fight goes against all of them. I ask you now to please turn your ships around and go back and become the country I love once again." Adam flipped the transformation toggle. Falcon's legs extended after the hatch opened, and the hatch doors became its hip shields. The cockpit receded into the suit as the nose popped off and the wings folded back. The arms extended into the empty space the wings were once before and the Meteorite cone split in two. As the wings split in half, the halves of the cone attached to Falcon's shoulders. "However, if you continue on your course," The hilt and half of the beam blade slid into Falcon's right hand and the other half with the tip slid into the left. He slammed the two halves together and braced Falcon's left hand behind the blade. "I will be forced to defend that ship. I do not wish to fight you. I plead once again for you to reverse your course."

On the Minerva, the entire crew had stopped what they were doing to listen. "Tch. What an idiot." Shinn said.

"Well, the kid's got guts." Heine said as he climbed into his Gouf.

"Adam." Meyrin whispered. "Be careful."

"Hmm?" Neo looked on from the JPJ. "Looks like ORB was hiding something else from us."

Miriallia put down her camera after she took a snapshot of the hovering suit.

"I don't believe this twerp! He actually thinks he can change our minds just like that?" Yuna crossed his legs and pointed to Todoka. "Patch me through to that kid."

"Hai!" He responded.

"Is this thing on yet?" Yuna broadcast. "It is? Right now? Oh, ahem. Attention pilot of the mobile suit ahead of our fleet, this is Supreme Commander Yuna Rouma Seiran."

"Oh, so you're that 'Bastard Yuna' that Cagalli-sama mentioned that one time."

Yuna's jaw dropped as Todoka and his first officer covered their mouths. "Wh…why you…ahem. Your ship has been identified as stolen from our armory on Onogoro Island. The thief of that ship also has been listed as the attacker of Representative Athha. If you do not return that mobile suit into our custody, we will have no choice but to assume that you are that thief and are extremely dangerous. If you do hand the ship over, no harm will come to you."

"And what of my request?"

"If you land, I'll consider considering it."

"Then I must decline, unless you assure that this fleet will return to Onogoro this instant."

"Then you leave me no choice. Farewell, criminal." Yuna cut off the connection. "Lock missiles on that mobile suit and Minerva."

Adam turned on the purple beam in his blade. Gladys gave the order. "Launch the Savior and Impulse now! Force Silhouette! Ascend from the water and turn 10 degrees to port."

"That idiot. I knew it would turn out like this." Core Splendor reached the platform. "Shinn Asuka, Core Splendor, ikimas!" He flew out and did a double barrel roll.

As the rest of Impulse's parts shot out, Savior was dropped onto the starboard catapult. The hatch opened and the green lights extended. Bee,bee,bee,buuuzzz! "Athrun Zala, Savior, hashin salu!" The catapult launched and the power cable yanked out of Savior, its red Phase Shift armor becoming apparent.

Core Splendor ejected its missile pods and folded in half. It linked up with the Leg Flyer vertically, and accelerated to meet the Chest Flyer in the same way. The Silhouette guidance pod detached from the Flyer and the Force pack connected to Impulse's back. It spun around as it's blue, red, and white armor revealed itself.

"Fire!" Yuna said, and the escort ships launched a multitude of missiles at the group. "Oh, and send out the third squadron. Make sure they take down that suit."

Adam sliced through two of them with his big blade and avoided the others. Shinn and Athrun dodged the missiles heading for Minerva, but Athrun flipped his buster cannons backwards and blew them out of the sky before they reached the ship. "Shinn, Adam, go after the mobile suits! There are too many missiles for the CWIS to handle alone, I'll take them!"

"Yokhai." The two said as they flew into the fray.

"Adam, you take the Murasame. The Astray are mine." Shinn said as he whipped out his blaster. He shot two in the cockpit right off the bat.

"I'd rather not take any, but if that's what you want!" Adam said as he hit the throttle. Two Murasame transformed in front of him. He pulled out a saber boomerang from his left shoulder and tossed it at the one on the right before he charged at the one on the left and sliced it down the middle. The boomerang clipped the side of the cockpit, taking half of the pilot out. The suit plummeted to its doom as Adam caught the boomerang and put it back into place.

"Shimatta!" Shinn cried, Athrun's words still bothering him. He whipped out his beam saber and cut two Astray lengthwise.

Projectile cannons fired at Minerva as it flew straight ahead. Parsifal missiles launched from the ship and the Isolde cannons fired simultaneous shots. "30 degrees to port. Get a lock with the Tannhäuser. We'll blow them out of the water once we clear the straits." Gladys was getting serious. "The carrier will still be behind them."

"Hai!" Arthur said before turning back to his station.

Miriallia continued to take pictures from her position, but realized that the battle was moving, and she raced towards a better spot.

As Adam thrust his blade into a Murasame jet he landed on, Yuna was getting pissed. "What the hell are they doing? They only have three mobile suits out there! Corner them now! Launch all remaining squadrons!"

"But sir! That's…" Todoka knew it was a big mistake.

"Isolate and surround them. Do that and even those Gundams will fall! This is a direct order!" Todoka glared at the unfit man as he obeyed. The rest of the suits launched.

A Murasame got through Adam's and Shinn's attacks and transformed trying to hit Athrun. "Kuso!" He fired a warning shot at the first one, but another snaked its way in and tried its hand. Athrun shot out its wing.

"Grraaaaahhhhh!" Shinn's cry rang out as he charged with his saber, quickly avoiding blaster shots. He split an Astray right down the middle.

"Why is this happening?" Adam said as he swung his big blade in a circle, cutting hard into two passing Murasame. "I didn't want to fight you!" He grabbed his right boomerang and tossed it into the cockpit of a third.

"Tannhäuser has a firing solution." Arthur said.

"Yosh! Activate it and tell our pilots to get clear. Target the enemy escort fleet." The captain gripped her armrests.

"Tannhäuser activating. Targeting enemy escort fleet." The hatch on the bow of the ship opened and the positron cannon moved into position. "Primary phase bank, contact. Generator output satisfactory." The ship turned towards the fleet. "Safety released."

"The enemy is preparing its positron cannon!" An ORB bridge officer cried.

"Kaihee! 20 degrees to starboard!"

Adam saw the text message on his screen. "Minerva, what are you doing!" He raced back towards the ship. Athrun let out a surprised tone as he saw the weapon. "Stop!" Adam cried.

"Tei!" Arthur commanded.

A green blaster beam from above cut straight through the Tannhäuser, and the weapon exploded. Everyone gasped. Adam stopped his ship. Shinn started looking around. "What? Who fired that shot?"

Hidden in the glare of the sun, a white mobile suit with eight blue angel wings flew down in front of Falcon, the back of its foot in plain view of its cameras. Adam's sight inverted its colors. "Look out! Mom! Dad!" He whispered to himself.

"Freedom! Kira!" Athrun was completely stunned.

Life Goes On.

Chapter 12 Preview: A ghostly white body with deep blue wings has appeared. Doubts are raised about one you knew so well. Why does the one that hates conflict attack your comrades? The words of Cagalli call into question where allegiances truly lie. Next time on Old Friends Anew: The War to Stop a Battle. As the ocean boils, give your most valiant effort, Gouf!


	12. Old Friends Anew Ch 12

Old Friends Anew

Phase-12: The War to Stop a Battle

The entire bridge of the Minerva was shaking like mad as the explosion ran through the ship. Arthur cried out. "Tannhäuser is hit! The Fire Control System is down!"

"Restart the FCS as soon as possible. Until then, switch to manual." The captain tried to remain calm. "Extinguish the flames quickly, land in the water and we'll douse it. Damage control stand by. All hands brace for impact."

As the Minerva slowly sank to the water, Neo looked on from his ship behind the ORB fleet. On the ORB flagship, everyone was speechless, and Yuna had a completely stunned look on his face. Athrun and Shinn gasped as they circled their ship, assessing the damages.

Freedom's alarms beeped, pointing out there was an object behind him. He turned his head slightly and saw the dark blue and brown mobile suit hovering with its arms at its sides. "Eh? That mobile suit?" He remembered the time in ORB when he sat on top of Freedom. "So it made it all the way out here."

Adam continued to whisper, his color palate still inverted. "No. Look out. Say something. Mom. Dad. Look out." As the Minerva landed in the water with a large splash, it awoke him from his stupor and his eyesight returned to normal. "The Minerva? Meyrin!" He quickly switched his audio channel. "Meyrin! Minerva! Do you need cover?" He flew towards the ship.

"Adam, stop, don't come any closer!" Meyrin cried to him. "FCS is down, we can't distinguish friend or foe. If you come in, we'll wind up shooting you down!"

Adam stopped and hissed. "Who did this?" He turned his suit to look at the white mobile suit with blue wings. "Freedom!"

"Kira?" Athrun stuttered in his disbelief.

Adam's sensors showed something, something big. Every other radar showed it too. He quickly turned towards the source. Approaching Freedom, was a legged battleship. "The legendary legged ship? The Archangel!"

Its portside catapult opened up. Bee,bee,bee,booooooo. A mobile suit launched from it, the umbilical cable pulling out when it extended far enough. As it got its bearings and went forward, its Phase Shift armor shimmered into red and pink. It pulled up next to Freedom and started hovering in the air, the Athha family crest on its shoulder gleaming in the day's sun. A voice went through all com frequencies. "I am the United ORB of Emirates' representative, Cagalli Yula Athha!" All of ORBs mobile suits stopped attacking. Todoka and his first officer were stunned, but happy on the inside, and Yuna leaned forward, jaw dropping slightly.

Arthur's and Talia's mouths opened wide, and the pilots of their ships did the same. Adam and Athrun said the same thing at the same time. "Cagalli?"

"ORB military, stop your combat at once. Pull back now!" Cagalli said to everyone, sitting in her Gundam in her pink flight suit and helmet. Kira kept a watchfull eye, making sure no suspicious movement was left unnoticed. "Though I have been away from the nation for a few reasons, it doesn't change that I, Uzumi Nara Athha's daughter, Cagalli Yula Athha, is ORBs Representative!" Mirelle lined up a shot from a hidden place. "In my name, I order all of you to withdraw. The ORB military will withdraw from this battle and resume its national ideals, which this battle goes against."

"Cagalli…why is she…?" Adam gunned his engines and went towards her. Freedom slipped in front of Strike Rouge and pointed a blaster at Falcon's head. "Woah!" Adam parked it and grabbed a boomerang. Just about ready to throw it, a message appeared on his screen: IDENTIFY- FRIEND OR FOE.

A response came onto Cagalli's screen: FRIEND – GEEZ YOU ARE SUCH Z ROYAL PAIN Z. Cagalli smiled and switched her channel. "Kira, let him go." Freedom lowered its weapon and Falcon slid past as Cagalli changed the channel again. "Sashi buhdi da na, Adam."

"Falcon is approaching the two new mobile suits!" Meyrin cried out.

"Captain!" Arthur said. The woman just held up her hand, telling them all to wait.

"You're right, it has been a while, Cagalli-sama." Adam put the boomerang away. "It's good to see you again, and piloting a Gundam at that! But I didn't think you were a fan of girly pink." Strike Rouge took a playful swipe at him. "Missed me!" Adam chuckled. "Anyway…" Falcon turned around next to the red/pink mobile suit and Adam switched to a full broadcast. "Fellow citizens of ORB, listen to your princess!" Strike Rouge bonked its fist on Falcon's head. "Ow! Okay, let's try that again. ORB, listen to your representative! This fight is meaningless! 'ORB will not invade another nation, ORB will not tolerate invasion from another nation, ORB will not get involved in other nations' disputes.' These are the three ideals of ORB, and this battle is breaking all of them! I ask you once again, don't go through with this!"

Yuna let out a slow hiss as he bent forward. Athrun was amazed. "Adam, Cagalli…."

Neo was pissed. He snatched up the phone and connected it to the ORB frequency. "Yuna Roma Seiran…explain this disturbance."

Yuna picked it up and answered it slowly, and stuttering, lapsing into his almost girlish voice. "Uh…uh…no, this is…."

"Just who is that? Is she really the Representative?"

"Uh…"

"If it is, explain why she shows up here of all places, piloting something as threatening as that, and ordering you to pull out."

"Uh…" Yuna's eyes and voice trembled.

"If you don't reply quickly, I have a feeling that there will be a rather messy conflict between our respective countries." Neo signaled one of his men while he continued to talk. The man ran off.

"Th…this is…no, I mean…eeeehhhhh!" Yuna was getting enraged, from the humiliation at the wedding by Freedom, when Kira literally picked up Cagalli and flew off with her before she could say "I do." Standing up with hatred in his eyes, he yelled into the receiver. "I don't know who that is!" Todoka was stunned out of his wits, and Neo just smiled on the other end.

In the JP Jones's hangar, the three EAF Gundams sat. A message came up on their screens. "Un…"

"Uh…"

"Ah?" The three pilots said one after the other. Buzzers sounded around the hangar as the three mobile suits' eyes began to glow with activation.

Yuna slammed the phone down and Todoka was ready to rip him off of his high seat. "Yuna-sama, do you even know what you're saying?"

The blue haired man gritted his teeth and his knuckles went white as he tightened his fist. "That's Strike Rouge out there!" The first officer said. "And that seal is most definitely Cagalli-sama's!"

Yuna's broken logic came to the surface. "S…so how does it prove that she's in that suit? We have no proof!"

"But her voice…"

"Th…that's a fake!" The officers gasped again. "I should know! I should know! I'm her husband, me!"

"Yuna-sama…."

"I…if that is her, then she's been brainwashed! Yes that's it! M…my Cagalli, she'd never do something to make a fool out of me! She's not this stupid!"

"Yuna-sama! Please…."

"What the hell are you doing standing around? Fire at them, you fool!" This time everyone on the bridge was taken aback. "That ship is going to be shot down! Prepare to fire missiles!"

"That boy was right about you. You're such a…" Todoka said under his breath.

"If we don't do this, the EAF will turn on US! Our nation too! ORB's sake is at stake! That's why I came here! So I should just say 'oh, okay' and quit right now? NO!"

On the Minerva, Arthur spoke up again. "Captain, I must insist…."

"Just hold it in. You should have gone to the bathroom before the fight. We're the ones at a disadvantage right now. Just what the hell is going on out there?" She sneered as she pressed her thumb to her lower lip. "ORB can't back out now, it's obvious."

Heine came up on her screen. "Captain, just to warn you, I'm going to launch the moment something on their side moves. Hope you're okay with that."

She smiled at the break in suspense. "Yes, please do."

Todoka turned away from Yuna and spoke with a deadened voice. "Target the unknown suit. We're using missiles."

"Todoka-san!" His first officer was stunned.

Totally knowing what was out there he turned and growled. "We'll take out any force that tries to confuse us."

"Just shut up and fire!" Yuna's voice went squeaky again.

Todoka closed his eyes. 'I'm counting on you, Freedom.' "TEI!" He barked. Countless missiles erupted from the ships.

The crew of the Archangel and Cagalli gasped, seeing them coming towards them. Falcon slipped in front of Strike Rouge. "Cagalli, look out!" He pulled both boomerangs from their casings.

The bridge crew of Minerva and Shinn were taken off guard by the attack as well. Athrun gritted his teeth. "Cagalli!"

"In this form, I can't take them all out, but I can stop them from hitting you Caga…what?" Adam stopped as Freedom pulled in front of them both. Kira's G-Complex targeting system activated and it locked on to multiple critical points. All five of Freedom's weapons folded out and it launched two orange, two red/blue, and one green beam into the volley. The missiles exploded in a chain reaction, leaving none left. "What…kind of monster is that thing?"

Yuna slammed into his chair, and Todoka couldn't help but sigh in relief. "ORB forces, what do you think you're doing? I am…" Cagalli's words were cut short in her throat.

The JP Jones moved forwards into battle. The mobile suit hatches opened up, and the conveyor belts moved Chaos and Abyss to the platform. They launched, Chaos going into the sky, and Abyss going underwater. The launch continued, this time with Windams taking to the sky. "Okay!" Neo began a speech. "We have the advantage now, disregarding that impolite intrusion! Minerva is going to sink today!"

Sting huffed and Stellar hopped onto the deck of the ship in Gaia. Auel smiled. "It's about time we did something! I was tired of waiting."

"Arthur, shoot them down!" Gladys called to him.

"Hai!"

"Meyrin, launch the other suits!"

"Hai!"

As Chaos and the Windams closed in on Minerva from above, Abyss fired missiles from below. "Go now!" Auel cried as his projectile explosives cut through the water. They detonated around the ship, missing it by meters.

Adam and Cagalli were agape at the scene as Shinn sprang into action. "Damn you! I won't let you!" He shot out a Windam.

As another Windam passed Athrun, he fired a shot at it. His alarms blared as Chaos came up behind him, trying to settle the score. Savior dodged his attack and tried one of his own. "Tsch."

Bee,bee,bee,buuuzzzz. "Heine Westenfluss, Gouf, igusei." His mobile suit leaned forward as the catapult started to move. He shot out of the Minerva's catapult and unfolded his wings.

Luna got her gunner pack. "Lunamaria Hawke, Zaku, deluwayo!"

"Ray Za Burrel, Zaku, hashin salu!" He and Luna landed on the deck of Minerva, assuming defensive positions with the CWIS to back them up.

"W…wh…what the hell are you doing?" Yuna yelled at Todoka, who stood motionless. "We have to move as well! Order our mobile suits to attack, hurry!"

"But, no…" Todoka realized it was no use complaining. "Tsch!"

"Shoot at the Minerva, damn it! At this rate the EAF will complain again. We're a part of their alliance after all." As he said this, Ray headed to the aft of the ship and fired into the water, trying to hit the agile Abyss. Luna was firing her buster left and right trying to take out the aerial suits. "And that ship up there, Archangel!"

"Do you know what you're saying?"

"That ship has plagued our nation long enough and is responsible for this mess in the first place. It keeps doing it again and again and again and again and again and again! That's why we have to shoot her down and show off for our masked friend." Todoka ground his teeth at Yuna's words.

"Haaaahhh!" Stellar cried as she fired from the deck of the now dispatched JP Jones, trying to distract Savior from Chaos's attack.

"Heeyyy!" Sting snarled as he took another shot at the red suit.

Abyss transformed and stuck its torso out of the water, its shoulder shield weapons raised to the sky. "I'll kill you for sure this time, bastard!" Six green beams erupted from the shields hurtling towards Impulse.

Shinn's alarms blared. "Damn it!" He dodged the beams by inches.

"Shinn!" Adam cried. He started to turn away. "Cagalli, it's not safe here anymore, get out now!" When her suit didn't move he turned back to her. "Cagalli!"

An order was issued to the Astrays and Murasames in flight. "All mobile suits, join with the EAF and engage the Minerva. That is not Cagalli-sama. I repeat, that is not Cagalli-sama!" Convinced, they started forward.

The two mobile suits on the Minerva looked up into the skies. "Ray, please tell me I'm not seeing this." Luna trembled as the brown and white suits moved forward.

"Is this really the time to say such useless things?" He retuned and continued firing.

Upon seeing the ships, Heine's Gouf went to its shield. "Shit!" He whipped out a small dagger that quickly extended into a sword, and two purple beams activated on either side of it. He drove forward into a formation of Astray. He drove the end of the sword into one and ripped it out through the side and dodged shots as he sliced a cockpit in half.

"ORB, please don't shut me out! Can't you hear my request? Can't you understand what I'm saying?" Cagalli's desperate pleas fell on deaf ears. Heine let his gattling cannon go to work on a Murasame. "Orb forces, please stop now!" A Murasame headed in towards her and lined up a shot, Adam's blue boomerang destroyed the suit before it could fire.

A second one came in from the front and fired its weapon. Freedom blocked it with its shield. Kira counterattacked with his blaster and shot off the suit's arm. "Cagalli, enough. It won't work." Cagalli gasped at his words. "It's a hopeless situation now, sadly."

"Kira…" Tears filled her eyes.

"Withdraw. I'll do what I can now."

"Kira…" Her teeth ground.

Freedom's engines went to full burn, dodging vulcan bullets. CWIS guns were firing all across Minerva, as suits did hit and run attacks on it. A Murasame got too close and was riddled full of bullets, a Windam got shot up that got too close, and Impulse took care of two more. After dodging shots from the CWIS, a Murasame got hit and went to pieces as it hit the water.

"Right there!" Auel yelled as a missile clipped Minerva, giving Ray's Zaku a good shower from the water it displaced.

"Missiles incoming from 10 o'clock. Number: eight." The radar man on Minerva confirmed.

"Kaihee!" The captain leaned forward. "Port 10 degrees!" CWIS guns on the starboard side tried to shoot down the flying projectiles, failing to get half of them as they exploded around the ship, shaking up everyone on board.

"Tristan, TEI!" Arthur cried as he aimed at mobile suits that got out of the way.

"Where's Adam, what's he doing?" Talia turned to Meyrin.

Seiran continued to bark unwise orders. "Tell the Kuramitsuha and Iwasako to go forward. We'll corner those vessels right now!"

Murasame fired missiles at Archangel. "Evade! Descend 15 degrees!"

As the missiles bore down on the legged ship, the suit with azure wings came to the rescue, intercepting them with its shield. Freedom countered by taking out the Murasame's wing. Kira was through playing around. People were shooting at his sister and the ship his girlfriend was on. In the back of his eye, a purple shape similar to a football touched an invisible liquid and exploded into billions of crystals of light and color. His violet eyes became solid as his mind became clear. Freedom's five cannons fired, hitting heads and arms and blasters with precision accuracy, none of the shots were fatal. "Watfeld-san, please defend the Archangel and Cagalli." Kira said as he pulled out his beam saber.

"Yokhai!" The man with one eye said as he took off his radio clip. "I'm not as skilled as Kira, Captain Ramius. I'll need you to back me up."

"Yokhai." Murrue smiled. "Once the Murasame launches, move closer to the Minerva!" She barked to the navigator. "We'll hold off the EAF and ORB forces."

"Hai."

Cagalli and Adam looked on with shock. A message beeped on Adam's screen: ENGAGE THE ENEMY – MINERVA. "Enemy? Who is the enemy here? Cagalli, what do I do?" Silence was her only reply. "Cagalli! Damn it!" Adam flipped into jet form and extended his beam saberwings, gunning his engines.

Half of a mobile suit hit a rock and exploded next to Minerva. Gaia dismounted the JP Jones and took to the rocks, Stellar hissing at the Minerva while in BaCOE form.

Heine's Gouf pulled out a metallic whip and wrapped it around a Windam's arm. He smiled as millions of volts of electricity coursed through it, making the arm explode. Stellar decided to attack the newcomer, shooting the cannons on Gaia's back at him. Heine evaded expertly "Tcsh, why you!" He turned in her direction and whipped the electrified weapon at it, slapping it hard and giving it a shock in the process. Stellar screeched loudly as things crackled around her. Another shot pressed it against the ground. Stellar forced Gaia to back off a few feet, through all the disrupted systems, transforming to mobile suit. As she pointed its blaster, the whip wrapped around it. Stellar gasped. "This unit is different. It's not a Zaku!" Heine yelled as electricity started to overload the blaster.

Stellar let go of the weapon and hid from the explosion behind her shield. "Why you…!" She pulled out her beam saber and went forward. Heine's warning buzzer blared as she swung at him. The Gouf ducked under the attack and as it stood up again Gaia backhanded the saber, it deflecting off the spiked shield of the Gouf.

Shinn was engaging the underwater Gundam, which was cutting through it like a shark as Impulse's blaster tried to shoot it. "Damn you little pest!" Auel said as his above water cannons fired two green beams at him. Shinn got out of the way just in time.

Savior was still engaged with Chaos as they flew vertically, taking shots at each other in their transformed states, but neither really landing any hits. "Eh? I can't be losing to him with MY combat capabilities, me?" Sting said, looking behind him.

"Why are you doing this?" Adam cried as he barrel rolled through a Windam and cut an Astray. Two more mobile suits came up behind him. "Can't you tell when someone is telling you the truth?" Falcon opened up its rear cannon and the orange beam pierced the pursuing suits. "That's the real Cagalli-sama!" Tears streamed from his eyes.

The hatch closed behind the custom painted orange and red Murasame as it entered the Archangel's catapult. Lacus called to the ship on her radio. "Course clear. Watfeld-daicho, Murasame can launch. Be careful."

Bee,bee,bee,boooooo. "Andrew Waltfeld, Murasame, iguzo!" He said as he hit the throttle in his yellow and black tiger striped flight suit. A Murasame fired at Strike Rouge repeatedly, and Cagalli pointed her blaster at it, but couldn't bear to pull the trigger. Two blasts came from above her and tore into the brown ORB suit. "If you can't shoot, then get out of the way, Cagalli!" Watfeld went up next to her in MS form. "Think about what would happen to ORB if you died here!"

Adam turned back to look at his country's leader and saw the orange and red MS right next to her. "A Murasame? Oh no!" He gunned the throttle and headed straight for the ship. "Get away from her!"

Ray's pack foxed missiles into two Astray as Luna's buster cut into a Windam. Missiles foxed from Minerva's sides. Orders were given on the bridge, cannons fired, damaged suits plummeted into the water, explosions coated the skies. The horror of her country in war was overwhelming Cagalli. Her father's words before the siege of Onogoro continued to repeat in her head as the fight went on below her. Freedom fired into another blaster and a head of another MS, his face was completely unreadable. ORB ship cannons fired upon Minerva and the shells exploded around them. Shinn roared as he continued assaulting the ORB forces, and the head of an Astray started to sink into the water's depths.

Adam transformed into MS mode and brought his blade down at the mobile suit next to the Strike Rouge. "What the hell?" Andrew cried as he pulled back.

"You won't get near her!" Adam cried as he sent his boomerang out, his vulcan cannons covering the escape route on the opposite side of the ship.

"Damn!" Watfeld spun into jet form and went straight up, narrowly escaping the trap.

"He's good!" Adam said as Falcon caught the boomerang. "That's not a normal Murasame, it's a custom. Could he be a squadron commander? If it is, then if I take him out…!" Adam went to pursue.

Cagalli gripped her sides as she tried to scream as the tears filled her eyes, the pain in her heart becoming unbearable. The scream never came, her voice paralyzed. A Murasame exploded as Andrew fired into it. "I said I'm not as good as Kira. You attack me and you'll get killed." His alarms went off as the blue and brown Falcon swooped up and tried to take an upwards swing at him. "What the…!"

"Grrreeaaaahhhhh!" The blade came so close to the Murasame, its armor seared from the beam's heat. Adam positioned himself for a counterattack.

"Why are you going up against me?" Andrew said as he fired shots at Adam.

Falcon put its blade back in its shoulders and pulled out the sabers in its wings. Adam swatted down the beams with his sabers and charged forward with a twin sword style of combat. Freedom fired its shoulder cannons at two Daggers, and those Daggers were instantly minus blaster arms. Kira saw the dark blue mobile suit head for his friend and he flipped around and fired his orange hip cannons in between them. Adam stopped as the beam crackled in front of him. "Nani?" His suit looked down at the other one, which just stared back. Freedom fired another round, and Adam had to evade, also disengaging from his fight with the Murasame. "That ship, is it his ally?"

"Mobile suits are approaching the Minerva. Number: four!" One of the Archangel's bridge hands observed.

"Can you get a shot between them?" Captain Ramius asked him.

"I think so!"

"Don't hit the mobile suits. Gottfried two, tei!" The port cannon of the Archangel erupted two green beams that shot just above the Minerva's starboard side, making the mobile suits coming from above to break off.

"C…captain, that ship!" Arthur said in surprise.

"Why are they protecting us when they destroyed our main cannon in the first place?" The blonde woman asked no one. As Freedom continued to disable suits and missiles with pinpoint accuracy, she continued. "Is their only reason for fighting to prevent this battle?"

As Adam passed in front of Athrun while chasing after another MS, the blue-haired FAITH officer called out. "Kira!" He tried switching his communications band, but they were only ZAFT. "Kira! Damn it!" He failed to reach his best friend.

Shinn flew forward, his blaster continuing to fire at targets. "Just who is this guy?" Freedom started straight for Impulse, pulling out its beam saber. With a quick swipe, Impulse lost its blaster arm. Shinn gasped. "He sliced through it that easily? What kind of power is that?"

Adam saw his friend's arm fall into the water, and he became enraged. "Hey man, what the hell is that about?" Adam pursued the mobile suit.

Freedom fired its hip busters into the water twice, hitting Abyss in the thrusters, damaging it enough to force it to withdraw. Heine turned to look at Freedom quickly. "Just what is he?"

"Now you're attacking the EAF!" Adam snarled as he continued following the suit. "Shit he's fast!"

"Stop the movements of the Kuraumikari Class escorts to the port and aft!" Murrue barked orders. "Valiants, tei!" Yellow bursts came from the turrets on the sides of the Archangel, exploding in the water just feet from the ships, sending them off course.

"Bastard" Yuna stood up, his eyes wide. "Just what are they thinking? Who's side are they on?"

Kira closed in on the battle between Heine and Stellar. Heine detected him first. "Damn it, you've got to be kidding!"

"Who the hell are you?" Stellar was in agreement as she jumped at Freedom.

Kira put on the brakes and whipped out his beam saber, slashing the front paws off of the BaCOE-like Gundam. Gaia started to fall, and landed in shallow water. "Kira, enough! Why are you doing this?" Athrun watched the fight from above, shouting futilely.

"Coming out of no where and attacking recklessly…" Heine snarled. His Gouf's gattling wrist cannons fired green blasts at Freedom. "You bastard! Don't get cocky!" Kira dodged left and right, not getting hit by a single shot, his saber still out. He flew straight up to the orange mobile suit and it was instantly missing an arm. "Nani?" The wires on the severed limb started twitching wildly, still live with electricity.

Adam's shoulders trembled. "EAF, ZAFT, ORB. Daggers, Windams, Astrays, Murasames, Zakus, Goufs, Gundams. You'll attack anything that moves, won't you? I won't…I won't…I WON'T LET YOU DO WHATEVER YOU WANT!" Behind Adam's eyes, a brown football exploded. He whipped out his two beam sabers and charged the Gundam. "Grrrrrrooooooaaaaahhhhhh!"

Kira's alarms blared as the Gundam came down on upon him. The eighteen year old with his seeded eyes raised his shield and blocked the two beam sabers as they took their strokes. As Adam held them there, slowly boring their way into his shield, Kira blinked. "This kid…."

"Eeeeehhhh!" Adam released the sabers, and as they bounced off the shield, they turned off and slid into the hatches on his wings. His mobile suit made fists and started pounding rapidly into Freedom's shield, his engines gunning and giving him more power.

As Freedom was losing ground from the assault he studied the mobile suit's rapid movements. "His movements are totally different from before." He shifted his blaster hand towards Falcon. Adam saw the movement and instantly punched the weapon out of his hand. "I see, but you left an opening." Freedom flipped upside-down and slammed its metallic foot in between Falcon's legs.

Watfeld winced. "Ouch, OWNED!"

The impact started to flip Falcon turning its back slowly towards Freedom. Adam smiled with his solid brown eyes and slammed his fist on a button. "Tei!" The orange beam erupted from Falcon's back. Kira just narrowed his eyes and hit the throttle, sliding himself away from the beam. Freedom flew up above him and saw Savior watching him. Kira turned his attention towards it for a second.

Stellar had angry tears in her eyes as her mobile suit righted itself, the water rolling off its face. "How dare you? How dare you attack me like that!" She extended her wingsabers on the BaCOE mode's shoulders. "Gyyaaaaaahhhhh!" She cried as she launched into the air, her new flight booster giving her extra momentum. Her target was Freedom's back. Adam's mobile suit slid into view, pulling out its beam blade while looking at Freedom. "You're in my way!" Stellar's rage was unparalleled as she accelerated further.

Alarms beeped on Adam's console, and as he started to look behind him, an orange suit kicked him over. "You idiot, get out of the way!" Heine yelled. His alarms beeped too late, as Gaia's blades cut through the back of the Gouf, straight through the cockpit. "Guhh!" His scream was cut off as he was cut in half, the glass in his helmet had shattered. The two halves of Gouf slid off of Gaia's wing and exploded, legs first, then the upper half, the suit's purple eye still shining.

"Heine!" Athrun cried, seeing the entire thing.

Adams eyes returned to normal at the sight of the explosion. "Heine?" His mind failed to recognize it for a second, but as the pieces of orange armor fell to the water below, it sunk in. "Westenfluss-daicho!"

Freedom spun around and kicked the black Gundam in the chin, sending it flying back, out of control. Chaos swooped in and picked her up. The EAF forces sent the return signal. "Kuso!" Sting yelled.

Kira looked on with his unreadable look and his eerily solid eyes. He stretched out Freedom's wings and headed away, back towards the Archangel, which was admitting the Murasame into its bay.

"Heine…" Athrun said as he looked down at the smoking wreckage. "Kira!" He hissed, looking like he was about to cry.

As Freedom went, Kira passed the Strike Rouge. "Cagalli, let's go."

"Hai." She said quietly, and she started to turn away. But then she stopped and turned back. "Adam!"

"Eh?" He looked up, removed from his stunned state.

"Come with us, Adam!" Cagalli said with total sincerity. "We need you now! Help us get ORB back on track!"

Adam gritted his teeth, as he felt tears sting his eyes. "I…I…can't."

"We share the same dream, the same country, the same friendship. Please, come with us!"

"I can't! I have someone…someone I can't leave." Tears rolled down Adam's cheek. "The one I love is on that ship!"

"Adam…." Cagalli said, stunned once more.

"Cagalli, we're withdrawing, come on!" Kira said as he took Strike Rouge's hand and dragged her back.

"Adam, I'll get ORB back to the way it was! I promise! Please believe in me!"

"I do, Cagalli, I do believe in you. But with all this…." He looked down at the wreckage of the FAITH officer that shared his hair color and let the comment hang. He sobbed.

Talia watched the withdrawing ship with suffering eyes. Shinn hung on to the side of Minerva with his leftover hand, watching them go as well, hissing at them. As Archangel and Freedom flew up into the sky, the view behind them was none that anyone would want to see, a hundred thick streams of smoke telltale signs of death and destruction. But for some, Life Goes On.

Chapter 13 Preview: Not will alone, nor power alone, the pretences they both know. Now everyone is on a path different from the others, wondering how they got separated. As the pilots separate for a time, why does Athrun go solo, what do Adam and Lunamaria hear, and what does Shinn and Ray see as time continues to flow? Next time on Old Friends Anew: The Changes That Come With Discovery. Take flight and seek out clearer skies, Savoir!

(Author's Note: Go to and look up redemption2. You'll find an AMV Tribute to Heine Westenfluss entitled FAITH Ignited. I hope you enjoy it.)


	13. Old Friends Anew Ch 13

Old Friends Anew

Phase-13: The Changes That Come With Discovery

The battle was far away from the Minerva. No, that's not quite correct. It was more of a massacre than a battle, one that cost the Minerva dearly. Thus, it was not far away, but sunk deeply into their hearts as they docked at Port Talqius in the Marmara Sea. The captain stood outside with the chief mechanic, looking at the damages on the bow from shore. "Although we're getting materials sent from Diocvia as quickly as they can send them, the damage happened right when the Tannhäuser was going to fire. The overload did extensive damage. The bow is in really bad shape." The chief said as he looked between the captain and his workpad.

Talia sighed heavily as a ZAFT soldier ran past her. She followed his route with her eyes, and it lead her to a sight she didn't want to see: bodybags. At least twenty of them containing salvaged remains from ZAFT mobile suits. Some could only be identified through DNA testing. She turned away quickly.

"It will definitely take some time."

"You're right. In any case, I'd like the work to be done quickly, but carefully. We need this ship battle ready. It's a shame that's all I can ever say to you."

"No, I understand, Captain. That's what we're here for." With that from the chief, Gladys turned and walked away, biting her lower lip tightly.

A ZAFT soldier in a green uniform loaded a few boxes into the back of a van and shut the doors. He turned to the pilots standing next to him, each of them with solemn looks on their faces. Adam's being the most of all. The man saluted to them. "That's everything. By your leave I'll be transporting Heine Westenfluss' personal effects to the rightful owners." The pilots saluted back in unison, saying nothing.

As the van drove off, Athrun stared at it and through it, through to the recent past. The entire battle, when he saw his best friend take up arms against everyone. Once the van was out of sight, the five pilots walked along the plank to get into Minerva. Shinn stomped. "It's all their fault, you know!" He whispered loudly. Athrun looked up and noticed the procession had stopped, Shinn balling his fist. "If they hadn't intruded like that…Heine would…Heine would…!"

"Shinn…." Luna's voice was deadpan, just as depressed as the others.

"Who the hell decided that they should order us to stop fighting anyway? They can't really be Archangel and Freedom, can they?" As Shinn's outburst continued, Athrun broke his gaze. "How could one country be so stupid? What the hell is ORB doing?"

"Stop it." Adam whispered, behind the other four.

Luna, the only one that heard him, turned around. "Adam…?"

The others turned their eyes towards him as well. His eyes were dark, unable to be seen, covered in his own hair as he slouched forward, his shoulders trembling. "It's not Freedom's fault, it's not Cagalli's fault, it's not the Archangel, or ORB, or the EAF, or anyone." He lifted his face up and let the tears run down his jawline. "The one at fault is me."

"Adam, how can you…?" Shinn turned back, his anger lost for the moment.

"How did it come to this? What did we screw up?" He didn't let Shinn finish as he slammed his fist on the railing. "If I had been more aware…more attentive…then Heine wouldn't… wouldn't have…." He slumped down again. "Excuse me, but I think I need to be alone for a while." Adam raked his nails along the rail as he passed Luna and Athrun.

"Hey, man hold up a second." Shinn put a hand on Adam's shoulder. The depressed boy turned one teary eye towards him and slapped away the hand and continued to move. "Ad…"

"ADAM!" Athrun yelled at him, and the boy stopped for a second, while the other three pilots stepped back, surprised at his outburst. "Don't do something stupid Adam! I don't want to lose another pilot!" Without any sign that he heard, Adam continued forward. "Adam!" The door closed behind the boy. "Adam…."

Shinn's hatred returned with new fervor as he turned back to Athrun and pointed to the closed door. "Just how many lives are they going to screw? Huh? HUH?"

Athrun said nothing, and Shinn stomped away, his footsteps loud on the metal plank. Luna looked between Athrun and Shinn, her eyes begging the commander to say something. When he didn't, she ran after the boy. "Shinn!"

Ray saluted the 18 year old and turned to follow. Athrun gritted his teeth and let out a long hiss, not believing that the ones that took care of the orphans, and the one that he proposed to could do anything like this. _"Then who do you want to fight?"_ Heine's confident words still echoed in his jumbled head. _"That's all there is to it. Please understand that. We're all in a war, and we're in the military."_ Athrun's brain kept replaying the explosion of the Gouf in his head over and over and over again. _"Otherwise…you're going to wind up dead."_ "God damn it!" Athrun whispered to himself as he pounded the railing. Nicol, Rusty, Miguel, and now Heine. Too many of his good friends were … gone. He held down his emotions as best he could as he continued down the plank, but a single tear was caught by the breeze and shone in the sun.

Meyrin walked down the hall, her hat in one hand and the bridge of her nose in the other. As she rubbed her eyes she bumped into Ray as he left his room. The impact sent them both to the floor in different directions, and a disk slipped out of Ray's pocket. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Ray. I wasn't paying attention." The girl said as she stood up, offering her hand to the blonde teen.

"There is no need, I too was at fault. I should not have exited so quickly." He took the girl's hand and was helped up.

Meyrin caught the disk from the corner of her eye. "Oh, did you drop this?"

She reached down to pick it up, but Ray's hand snatched it up before she could touch it. "Yes it is. Thank you for pointing that out to me." He pocketed it quickly.

After blinking at the action, she put her head down. "Is Adam still in his room?"

"I have no information pertaining to that. Are you on your way to see him?" The girl nodded. "He should probably still be there."

"I'm not even sure if I should be doing this. I know he said he wanted to be alone but…."

Ray put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't have any doubts about this, Meyrin. When others would have run, you have stayed with him. Though he says he needs no one right now, Adam truly needs you. Go to him."

The pig-tailed girl nodded and sighed. "Thank you, Ray. You're a good motivational speaker." She smiled at him. "It's a shame you don't talk that much."

At the compliment, Ray's mouth upturned slightly. "Regrettably, that is not how I am. But if you'll excuse me, I have business to attend to." He bowed his head slightly and took his leave.

Meyrin continued on towards Adam and Shinn's room, knowing that Shinn was up at the firing range, venting. She reached for the doorbell, but her hand stopped short and she shook her head. She pressed the open button, and the door slid aside. Adam looked up at her from his curled up position on his tearsoaked bed. Upon seeing his love, the floodgates began to open once again, and his convulsing sobs sent him to the floor. The girl ran up to him and cradled his head against her chest as the door closed.

Athrun asked for an audience with the captain the moment she was available. He got it, and presented his request to her, which left Gladys quite surprised. "Eh? You want to find Archangel?"

"Hai." After a long silence from both, it was obvious that she needed convincing. "Captain, I'm sure you've found this out already, but in the last war I took up arms against ZAFT alongside Archangel during Jackin Due. I believe that Freedom's pilot, along with everyone on Archangel, and ORB's Representative named previously, are those that I know best." The captain's gray eyes pondered his words. "That's the reason why I don't comprehend the situation. At the least, I can't agree with it."

"True as it is, and I agree with you, but…."

"It appears their objective was to stop ORB, allied with the EAF, from participating in the fight. But if that were the case, there should have been other steps taken that could have reduced the number of casualties. My thoughts are that they were unaware of something, or maybe they made a mistake. I'm certain that PLANT and HQ will have their own steps to take, but I think I should open a dialogue with them and possibly find a solution."

"So this is an executive decision as a FAITH representative?"

"Hai."

At that, she let out a small chuckle. "Well, in that case, I can't stop you, since our authority is the same. And I agree that pointless battles cause pointless deaths," she stood. "Although I don't know what would have happened if we continued against the EAF." She paused for a moment and took a breath. "Very well. I approve of your leave from this vessel. Just please make sure you return, as a favor to a friend."

"Of course. Arigato." He smiled.

"But will you be okay going yourself? I could send Adam with you."

"Don't worry. I'll be fine." He saluted. "Arigato gozaimasu."

Bee, bee, bee, buuuzzzzz! Savior was launched out of the starboard hatch and the power cable released. Instantly it spun into jet form and flew off. As Shinn, Adam, and Vino watched it go, with pouts on their faces, Luna ran up to the commotion. "Nani? What's going on?"

"He wouldn't say." Shinn huffed.

"He just climbed up into Savior with a suitcase and told us to launch it." Vino said as he went back to work.

"Well, is he coming back?" Luna looked between the two remaining boys.

"We didn't ask. Sorry, Luna." Adam shrugged. "Diacho seemed to have a lot on his mind."

Before Luna could say more, Meyrin's voice echoed through the hangar. "Attention. Pilots Lunamaria and Adam please report to the captain's ready room. Pilots Lunamaria and Adam please report to the captain's ready room."

"Huh? What's this all about?" Luna looked up at the speaker.

Adam sighed. "Never a dull moment on the Minerva. Let's go, Luna. If the captain needs us, you know it's gotta be important."

"I'm coming already."

"Eeeeehhhhh!" Both Adam and Luna exclaimed, leaning forward on the captain's desk.

"Yep. That's how it is." Talia spoke flatly.

"No way, uh-uh. Not a chance." Luna waved her hands in front of her face.

"Not happening. Chigau, iie, nunca, nein, and did I mention no?" Adam crossed his arms.

"Look, this has to be done! Athrun is going out to find the Archangel, and I can't be sure if he'll report everything back, so I need someone to tail him." Talia slapped her hands on the desk and stood up.

"Then just send Luna!" Adam pointed to the girl.

"This is also training for you, Adam. Field training in the art of following and observation. You're both going, and that's final."

"But it's just so dirty!" Luna squirmed.

"Yeah, you're having us go together as a newlywed couple? I realize it's playacting, but why Lunamaria of all people?" Adam motioned towards the red-purple head.

"Hey!"

"Don't take it wrong Luna, you're a cool girl, it's just that I'm dating your sister, you know? It would be weird pretending I'm married to my girlfriend's sibling."

"Isn't there something else we could go as, Captain? Please?" Luna begged.

Gladys sighed. "I would, but all the other mission identities have been taken by others at the moment. It was either this or the prostitute and pimp."

Adam and Luna paled at her admission. They shared a look, and turned back to her. "We'll take the newlywed couple." They said in unison.

"Very well. Grab your gears and get going. Adam, you're taking Falcon, but Luna, your Zaku is too conspicuous. We're providing you with a miniature helicopter. Mission start!" They left the office and Gladys leaned back in her chair. "Meyrin will kill me when she hears of this. But, Adam's a talented kid. He just has to be trained." A ring sounded from her doorbell. "Nani?"

"It is Ray Za Burrel."

"Come in." The door opened and Ray entered with a serious look on his face. The captain took notice and let out a surprised tone.

Athrun checked his black rental convertible's in-car GPS, and positioned the map with the touchscreen. (AN: I want that car! And throw in that GPS while you're at it! LOL.) He started up the vehicle and began driving. As he drove, he passed an 18 year old girl with sandy blonde hair waiting to cross the street. After a moment, he recognized who it was, hit the breaks and honked his horn. "Miriallia!" He called towards the girl, now on the other side of the street. He stood up in his seat and took off his dark sunglasses. "Miriallia Haww?"

"Athrun…Zala?" The girl was totally stunned as she blinked her turquoise eyes.

"Adam, do you read?" Luna asked over her radio, in her really tiny helicopter.

"Yeah, I've got you. What's up?" He returned.

"I just got in the air again. I don't have a trace of him. It's like he disappeared off the face of the earth."

"To be honest, I'm not surprised by that. He is a pro and one of the special forces. But I'd say that we're still okay. If we can't find him, that means he's laying low until he can find Archangel."

"Or he's already found it."

"Eh?" Adam caught something with his eye and circled around. He grinned widely. "Oh, I wouldn't say that, Lunamaria."

"Why?"

"I just found Savior." He said in a sing-song manner. "He camouflaged it well, but where he put it has trees that are higher than in the rest of the forest. After a second look, bingo."

"I'll meet you in town, and we'll check hotel records from there."

"Yokhai."

Miriallia and Athrun sat outside a coffee shop, catching up. "Oh. So when war re-emerged, you went to ZAFT instead of ORB?"

Athrun sighed. "Well, if you dumb it down, that's how it is." With that, the girl made a nasally tone. "Ah! I met Dearka up in space though. Twice actually."

"Eh?" Miriallia raised one eyebrow and lowered the other as she tilted her head slightly to one side. To her, the verdict was still out on that boy, but more towards the annoyed side considering her love for her deceased boyfriend still lingered.

Sensing the sensitivity of the subject, Athrun cleared his throat and went on to a different topic. "Well enough of that. About the Archangel though…. I knew they split from ORB, but what the hell are they doing around here? Because of their … entrance… things got kind of… well…um…."

"Things got kind of confusing?"

"Eh?"

"I already know. I was watching the whole thing. Had a front row seat." She pulled out the photos from the battle and slid them to Athrun for examination. The really clear shots were the ones of the Gouf exploding. Athrun handed them back to her after sighing. "But what are you trying to do, by looking for the Archangel?"

"I want to talk to them. No, I need to talk with them. Especially…."

"Cagalli?"

"And Kira too." He nodded.

"Even now, when you're back with ZAFT?"

"That's…!" He was about to say something, but decided against it.

"Okay. I don't have resources for nothing. I'll connect you with them." Athrun looked up in grateful surprise. "Since I haven't been back to ORB for a while, I don't know the details, but no one wants to do something like this." She picked up her photos and turned to one of Freedom. "Not even Kira. Iie, especially not Kira."

"Well, here it is." Luna opened the door and Adam and she walked inside.

"Woah, cool room!" Adam said as he looked around.

The girl walked to the window and put her hand against it. "This will give us the perfect vantage point to look into Athrun's room."

"Hope you're not going to go peeking while he's changing." He said from the bathroom.

"Who do you think I am?"

Adam flushed and washed his hands. "A girl with a crush."

"Adam…." She scowled as she turned her head. Her face paled and she slapped her forehead. "Oh no."

"What?" Adam asked as Luna pointed to the bed, the only bed in the room. "One bed…perfect…great…superb even! You get the floor."

"Eh? No way! I'm a lady! The lady always gets the bed!"

"I slept on a hard-spring cot for a year."

"I'm not giving up the bed."

"Neither am I!"

"Well that means we either sleep in the same bed, or we play janken for it." Luna raised her fist.

"Fine! Janken it is! I'll start it off." Adam balled his fist. "The first is rock! Jan, ken, pon!" Luna threw down scissors and Adam threw down rock. "Heeheee! I win!"

"Best two out of three?"

"Sure. The first is rock! Jan, ken, pon!" This time Luna threw down paper while Adam threw down scissors.

"Agh! How do you do that!"

"I'll let you in on a secret. Statistically the first one that people pick is scissors, so a rock counter is always a good idea. The rest is a trade secret. I've got a 3:1 win ratio. Guess I got the bed."

"Damn you." Luna pouted.

Hiding deep in ocean ruins, the ashitsuki battleship sat in wait. Kira sat in a hot tub modeled after some hot springs, an apparent modification while the ship was overhauled. He just sat quietly, not really paying attention to anything for a while, a retreat where he could ease the pain away. On the other side of a false bamboo fence was Cagalli, in the ladies' tub. She wasn't enjoying it. It didn't make the pain go away. Her head still pounded with the sounds of explosions. The door slid open and Lacus, with her hair haphazardly put up, waved and asked to join her.

In the mess hall one floor above him, Captain Ramius had a lunchtime meeting with Watfeld. "But, what should we do?"

The coffee loving man looked up, a medallion of some kind of food partially in his mouth. "Hmm?" Was the only response he could give in that situation.

"From now on, I mean."

"Well, I think everyone now knows where we stand thanks to the other day's battle."

"Ah…"

"But now ZAFT will have an eye on us too. This is rather difficult isn't it?"

"Definitely."

In the girl's bath below them, Lacus cupped her hands together at the surface and shot a stream of water at Cagalli, snapping her out of her depression. As Lacus giggled, Cagalli instinctively shielded herself from more attacks. "What are you doing, Lacus? Cut it out!"

Kira looked towards the fence and overheard Lacus' voice. "Well you had a really sad expression on your face. I couldn't help it!" Lacus tilted her head slightly. "What's wrong?"

The battle came back to the blonde representative again. "I'm just wondering, did we do the right thing?"

"First, you have to decide."

"Eh?"

"Then you have to follow through, no matter what the decision." Lacus' pain was also apparent in her voice. After all, her father was murdered in the first war, by troops under Patrick Zala's command. Kira was the one to comfort her then, like she had given to him many times before. "I'm pretty sure that's the only way anything can be accomplished in this world."

Cagalli had looked back as Onogoro base was destroyed, self-destructed by her father, who stayed behind to do so. She realized that she and Lacus were more alike than different. "Lacus…."

"Ne? Am I right?" Lacus asked. Kira leaned back and tried to relax again.

"Unh. Arigato." Cagalli said before she got out of the bath. As she put on her clothes, she examined her ring carefully. She put the object on, and held it, Athrun's precious gift, to her heart.

Lunamaria slammed the door shut. "It is pouring so bad out there! I'm totally soaked."

"Here. Have a towel." Adam said as he tossed one back to her over his shoulder.

"Thanks." She started to dry her hair. "He made any moves?"

"None." Adam brought a pair of binoculars back to his eyes. "He's been in and out casually, and to the bathroom, but that's about it. Oh yeah, and he seems to like to use room service."

"Geez, you probably even know what TV channel he watches the most."

"Weather Channel."

Luna sighed. "I rest my case."

Adam sat back and stretched. "You know, something's missing from this picture."

"What are you talking about this time?" She continued to dry.

"This is a stakeout after all right? Let's see, we have micro-radios, lookout point, observation equipment…."

"Exactly, we have everything."

"Well I dunno, shouldn't we have doughnuts or something?"

The back of Adam's head was impacted by the now wet towel, and it draped over his head. Luna snatched the binoculars from his stunned fingers. "Baka."

"What did I say?"

"Woah, hold on! An investigative mission…sir?" Shinn said as he sat in the briefing room as the rain poured outside.

"Yes, Shinn, that's right." Arthur sighed. "This is an official order from HQ." Shinn grunted as Ray sat attentively. "According to local reconnaissance, there appears to be a research facility that has associations to the EAF. What it does, we don't know. It appears abandoned now, but vehicles, aircraft, even mobile suits were received and dispatched from there. When the sun rises, we want you two to go and have a look through it."

"Why are you giving US such a pathetic mission…sir?"

"Shinn, enough already." Ray turned to him, and the boy pouted.

"Don't call it pathetic." Arthur retorted. "We're guessing that's where the squad of Blue Cosmos that attacked Adam and company came from. What do we do if there are more of them? That's why we're sending you on this mission. We're counting on the both of you."

"Roger that, sir." Ray stood and saluted. Shinn, still not liking it, saluted none the less.

Athrun sat in his chair staring out the window at the rain. His computer had a wormhole-like screen saver on it, long since gone idle. As he stared at the rain, he didn't realize someone was watching him. Lunamaria stared at him through her binoculars, but he still wouldn't move. She sighed heavily as Adam came walking through the door.

"Whew! You're right, it is torrential out there!" Adam said as he put two boxes down. "But I think I saved them. Daicho make a move yet?"

"Only to the bathroom a few times. I guess room service food isn't always that good. Looks like he's calm now though."

"May I?" Adam walked over to the window with a towel over his shoulders.

"Go ahead. See for yourself." Luna handed him the lenses.

Adam peered into them and focused on the blue haired teen. "He looks like he's waiting for something, doesn't he?"

"Yeah, I noticed that too." Luna sighed again. "I wonder if he'll be staying up all night. If that is true, we should have stocked up on food. Aw ma…"

She stopped short as one of Adam's boxes was put in front of her. Adam opened it. "Bear Claw?"

Luna sweatdropped. "How did you find a donut shop open this late?" She said as she took one.

"I called ahead. Hope you like them."

Under the ocean, a Morse code message was being received by the communication officer of Archangel. "Captain!"

Everyone gathered around his station as he read back the message. "I saw the Angel at Dardanelles. I want to see you all again. The Knight in Red is also searching for his Princess. Please contact me. Miriallia."

"Miriallia-san?" Murrue was surprised to hear that name.

"The Knight in Red?" Lacus looked around for an answer.

Cagalli instantly knew. "Athrun!"

"This message was sent by way of the terminal?" The captain asked.

"Hai."

"'I saw the Angel at Dardanelles.' That means she was there too?"

"She is a freelance photographer now." The navigator mentioned. "I'm not surprised if she was there."

"I can't believe it! Athrun's back, Kira!" She turned to her "little brother," but he remained silent.

"Back from PLANT, you mean." Andrew interjected. "So, what should we do, Kira? It's rather intricate to be a message for a trap, though."

"But who would even know about Miriallia-san other than us?" Ramius continued to think.

"And she would know how to contact us." The navi put in his two cents.

"Kira?" Lacus turned to her boyfriend, as she found herself doing a lot. Soon everyone had their eyes on him.

"Let's go." At that, Cagalli smiled. "If Athrun is back, then we can learn more about the situation in PLANT. But keep the Archangel where she is. I'll go alone." Lacus gasped slightly at that. "Don't worry about me, Lux. I'll be fine."

"Hold it Kira. I'll go too." Cagalli straightened.

"Eh?"

"Ah, well, you see…"

Kira smiled. "Fine by me. Cagalli and I will go."

As the sun rose, Adam yawned and looked into his binoculars for the millionth time since the stakeout began. He saw his commander slam down the phone and grab his coat. "Eh?" He stood up. "We've got movement!" Lunamaria was snoring loudly on the bed, next to an empty box of donuts. "Geez come one Luna!" He pushed her and she just rolled over, not waking as she crushed the box. "We don't have time for this!" Adam picked her up in his arms. "Okkitei Lunamaria Hawke!" He dropped her on the floor.

"Ow!" She said as she woke up, rubbing the back of her head.

"Let's get going, Luna. He's running."

Savior rose from a forest of trees not too far from the city, and it began to fly off. Lunamaria was first after him, taking off from the roof of the hotel with her mini-chopper. Adam was close behind her, rising above the forest that was behind and above Savior.

At the same time, Shinn was raised to the runway of the central catapult. All four of Impulse's parts ejected, including the Force Silhouette, and they quickly formed together. Shinn was off, with Ray's Zaku riding an MS battle jet on his wing. The blonde boy spoke over the radio to him. "Well, let's get going."

"Yokhai." Shinn said, still groggy from the morning preparations.

In the costal sunrise of some old ruins, Kira parked Freedom in a cave big enough to hold it, and hidden enough so it wouldn't be seen. He and Cagalli, in their civilian clothes, climbed up the rocks to level ground. "Kira!" A voice called to him, and a sandy-blonde haired girl ran down to meet them.

"Miriallia!" Kira said as they walked towards her, happy to see her again.

"When I saw Freedom I thought, 'no way this could be real'!" As Cagalli approached she finished her statement. "I had heard you snatched up a bride and flew off from ORB."

"Well, that's a long story, but…." Cagalli quickly changed the subject. "Oh yeah! Where's Athrun?"

"Ah. Um, gomen. I couldn't put this in the message, but he's…re-enlisted into ZAFT."

Both Cagalli and Kira were taken aback. "ZAFT?" Kira was the first of the twins to speak.

Shortly followed by his sister's disbelief. "Athrun?"

A red jet approached them from the sea and passed overhead. "That unit…it's…" Kira recognized the one unit that didn't fire on him.

The jet spun into a mobile suit and landed a few meters away, in a wide enough space that it wouldn't damage the ruins. The cockpit opened up and Athrun, in his civilian clothes, dismounted. He approached the group in silence, and stopped in front of them. "Kira…. Cagalli…."

"Athrun…." Kira said with a hint of sadness in his voice.

The long silence that followed was too much for Cagalli. "What the hell is all this about, Athrun?" She pulled up to within inches of him. He looked away in shame. "The entire time…do you know how long I was worried about you? Because of everything, I couldn't contact you, but why? Why did you do something like going back to ZAFT?"

Lunamaria had an electronic ear dish pointed at them from a cliff higher above them and was listening to their conversation. Adam plopped down next to her. "Hey."

"You're late."

"I couldn't just let Falcon be seen landing, so I had to park her further off. So sue me. What are they saying?"

Lunamaria plugged in another set of headphones and handed them to the boy. "Now shut up, I'm trying to listen."

"It's because at the time, it felt right." Athrun responded after some thought. "For myself, and for ORB."

"That's a lie. How could joining ZAFT be for ORB?"

Kira went forward and clamped a hand on his sister's shoulder. "Cagalli." She shut up and stepped aside as Kira went forward. The two friends stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. "Is that your mobile suit?"

They both turned to look at the red piece of machinery. "Ah."

"Then the fight the other day, you saw it?"

"Ah, I was there. Right now, I'm a part of Minerva's crew." The twins gasped in unison, realizing what a mistake they had made. "When I saw you, I tried to contact you but," He sighed. "There was no way to get through."

"He tried to…contact them?" Luna whispered.

"Why didn't he just relay it through me? I was able to talk to Cagalli." Adam whispered to himself.

"But why'd you go and pull a stupid stunt like that?" Athrun snapped at Kira. "Because of you, the battle turned into chaos, and there were so many deaths that didn't have to be." Kira winced at the truth.

" 'Stupid stunt?'" Cagalli balled her fists. "Who was ZAFT about to fire at? That was ORB's military, Athrun! We were trying to prevent…."

"Like you actually believed that ORB would quiet down the moment you reappeared!" He snapped back at her, and his fiancée took a step back. "You're wrong if you think that's what you should be doing! You shouldn't have ever let ORB join the Alliance, instead of marching into battle and saying things like that!"

"But that's…." Cagalli put her fist to her chest. Athrun's eye caught the ring that he gave her, and he turned away, his anger suddenly washed away like the waves.

Lunamaria looked at Adam, who was biting his lip tightly. "You want to go down there, don't you?"

"Of course. Cagalli is down there, and so is Athrun. But more importantly," He motioned towards Kira, "If he's Freedom's pilot, Kira Yamato, then I have a few things to say to him."

"Well then, why don't you?"

"Eh?"

"Go ahead. I won't put it in the report. Just as long as you can get down without blowing my cover, I don't mind. But be careful, they're all on alert it looks like. A false movement could make them want to shoot."

Adam swallowed. "Ah!" He whispered loudly. "I brought my cell! I'll just call her up and, auda?" He felt his pocket. "It must be in my pack." He started searching as the conversation below resumed.

"But Athrun, if you're a part of ZAFT now, what are you going to do here on in?" Kira cast a critical eye on his friend, and possible enemy. The question took the boy off guard. "Just why were you looking for us?"

"Kira, that's a bit…" Cagalli tried to defend.

"It's because I don't want you acting like dumbasses and doing that again." Athrun proved he didn't need any defense. "I know the Junius-7 issue was a problem, but the madness that followed was the EAF's fault! If you've noticed, PLANT is putting its best foot forward to end this meaningless fight as quickly as humanly possible! What you're doing is making the situation worse!"

"Really? Is that so?" Kira retorted.

"Eh?"

"Does PLANT really think that way?"

Kira continued. "That Chairman Dullindal guy, does he really want a peaceful world and to end the war?"

At this, Athrun was pissed. "Are you blind? You've seen what the Chairman's been doing! Are you deaf? You've heard what he's said! The Chairman is truly a goo…."

"Ah-ha! Found it!" Adam rubbed his cheek against the precious orange object.

"Then what about that other Lacus Clyne?" Athrun's, Luna's, and Adam's movement completely halted. "Just who is it that's in PLANT singing? I know it's not my Lacus."

"Th…that's…" Athrun was running out of things to say.

"And why would my Lacus be the target of an assassination by a group of Coordinators?" All three of those that didn't know gasped.

"'Target of an assassination?' What are you saying?" Athrun didn't know what to think or feel.

"When we were in ORB, we were attacked by a group of special ops Coordinators and their suits. Their target was Lacus." Kira's eyes narrowed. "That was the reason I started piloting Freedom again."

"That can't be!" Athrun gasped.

"I piloted because I didn't want her or the others to die. Who would want her dead and why? I won't trust PLANT until I find the answer!"

"Kira!"

Ray and Shinn approached the specified coordinates. They landed their mobile suits and dismounted. In the red morning sun they pulled out their pistols and started to enter the facility. It certainly looked abandoned, the grounds were in disrepair. There was a mansion that was totally overgrown with ivy nearby. There were strange metallic pillars that attached to nothing, possibly some kind of artwork considering there were also interwoven tubes of solid metal sticking out of the ground like trees. As they entered the main facility with dampened footsteps, they checked each of the corridors carefully.

One rusted door Ray had to force open. When he entered, he saw cylinders, and quite a few of them in the dark room. He gasped. Shinn hit the light switch, and equipment was revealed that he didn't recognize. "Just what is this place?" But Ray sure knew. He began to tremble, his voice caught in his throat as he began to breathe hard. He collapsed to his knees. "Ray! Hey Ray!" The Impulse pilot ran up to him. The blonde started to hyperventilate, his breaths getting shorter and faster with every passing second. "Ray! What's the matter, man? Ray! Come on, say something!" The boy continued to have his attack. "Ray!"

Lunamaria was near paralysis, her eyes opened wide. "A second Lacus? An assassination attempt?"

Adam's phone slipped out from his hands and started to clatter down the shallow embankment. "Agh!" He whispered as he reached after it. His foot slipped on a loose rock and he fell forward. He caught the phone, but it was too late. The headphones slid off his skull as he slid down the embankment and tumbled forward, towards the group.

"What the hell?" Athrun said as he whipped out his pistol. Kira jumped back and did the same.

As the tumbling figure came closer to them, Cagalli caught a flash of orange. "Don't shoot!" Adam slid to a stop, his face in the dirt in front of them. "It's Adam."

The said boy didn't get up. He just raised a finger to the sky as he spoke into the ground. "I am okay! The x-rays on the other hand may prove me wrong!" He flipped over and spat out the dust as the four people gathered around him. "Now I know how Sheridan feels. Oh hi Cagalli-sama, hey Daicho."

"Adam…." Athrun's shoulders quivered. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Oh that? The captain ordered me to tail you. Couldn't say no to that, but she didn't say that I couldn't come in contact with you." Adam sat up and brushed the dirt out of his hair and off his face as he spat once again.

"When I get through with you…." Athrun was about to threaten the boy.

Cagalli helped Adam up and started dusting him off. "You actually tailed Athrun? That's not an easy task." They looked at each other. "It's good to see you again, Adam."

"Same to you, Cagalli-sama. I never got to thank you properly for Falcon. You have no idea how many times it's saved me and my…you know…."

"Your this?" She chuckled as she raised her pinky finger. Adam nodded. "So, is she cute?"

"Cagalli!"

"Come on, Adam, spill the beans. You've got to tell me what's been happening since everything started."

"Yeah yeah, in a minute okay?" Adam halted her train of thought as he turned to her brother. "You're Kira Yamato, pilot of Freedom, right?"

"Ah." The brunette returned.

"I was the pilot of Falcon, that blue and brown Gundam." Kira's eyes widened for a second. "But I don't want to discuss that. I want to thank you."

"Thank me?"

"For that time during the siege of Onogoro."

"You're…" Kira's head ran with flashbacks. He remembered seeing three people in his rear view camera. "You're one of the three that Calamity was targeting!"

"Yep, that's right."

"I'm sorry, about your parents."

Adam went rigid and wide eyed for a moment, and his color scheme inverted for half a second. But he calmed down. "What are you talking about? My parents are alive and well, hiding underground in ORB." Adam turned back to Cagalli. "Your big brother is kind of weird, Cagalli."

"He's my little brother, not a big brother!" Cagalli stated, pouting. Athrun seemed to space out in thought.

"Tell that to your height."

"Ugh, we won't get anywhere like this! So, is your girlfriend cute?"

"Aw, man, not this again! Well I'd say she's more like gorgeous, and she lov…."

As the two friends conversed, Kira watched the boy intently. There was something about him that just didn't seem right. He wondered if his recollection of events had been mixed up, but he was certain. This was the boy that survived over a year ago. But as Kira watched his sister and best friend converse with Adam, one thing in all doubt was sure, Life Goes On.

Episode 14 Preview: There is only one world, one reality, just from many different points of view. But what are the actions in this reality for? The meaning behind the words that are spoken? Is everything unanswered buried in the darkness of the human hearts? Where shall Adam and Shinn find the answers? Will the truth be revealed through those that can talk no more? Next time on Old Friends Anew: Illogical Sin. Cut through the forest of the past into the field of the present, Gaia!


	14. Old Friends Anew Ch 14

Old Friends Anew

Phase-14: Illogical Sin

"Well I'm glad you found someone, Adam. She seems really sweet." Cagalli smiled as she talked with the friend she was separated from.

Adam blushed. "Yeah, well…." As the orange haired pilot rubbed the back of his head, Cagalli's fiancée was looking around at each person, slowly. Kira, Cagalli, Adam, Miriallia, and then in reverse order. His thoughts continued to deepen as the morning sun continued to rise.

"By the way, what was that equipment you had on Falcon during the battle? That wasn't in the specs, and my computer almost didn't recognize it. And where is the bird anyway?"

"Oh that? I got it from a parts merchant down in Eurasia. He was kind of weird, but at least he gave us a good deal. As for Falcon, she's parked a little bit away." He turned towards his commander. "Couldn't let Athrun here know I was…" The disturbed thoughtfulness of the 18 year old caught Adam's eye, "tailing…him."

Cagalli followed her old friend's gaze and landed upon her troubled fiancée as he put his knuckle to his lip. Everything went silent. Kira and Miriallia averted their gazes, while Adam and Cagalli watched the man for some sign. "Athrun?" The blonde girl finally spoke up.

Athrun put his hand down as he was stirred from his trance. He took a deep breath and said what was on his mind. "If the target…was really Lacus, then…."

"So that's what you were thinking of. I was worried you had forgotten with this boy's entrance." Kira interrupted for a second.

Athrun nodded. "Then it's become a dangerous situation." He leaned forward and stared past Cagalli. "But saying you can't trust the Chairman and PLANT for that alone, don't you think that's jumping to conclusions, Kira?"

"Athrun…" Was the boy's only response, taken off guard and slightly disappointed.

"In PLANT, there are many different opinions. Take the terrorists of the Junius 7 incident. That attack was conducted by a small extremist group that the Chairman didn't know about."

"Athrun…" Kira looked up, disappointment in his violet eyes.

"Even you should be able to realize that, Kira!"

Luna's eyes trembled as she held her headphones on her ears tightly. Adam was looking back and forth between the two childhood friends, trying to compete between the validities of their arguments. Kira looked down as he started to think of a worthy retort.

Shinn half supported and half dragged a suffering Ray outside of the freakish facility. The dark haired boy had Ray's arm over his shoulder as the blonde had a paper bag to his mouth and nose, breathing in and out as slowly as he could. "That's it Ray, just take it easy buddy." He sat the boy up against a pole. "You just keep doing that, and I'll call for some help."

Shinn mounted Impulse in a flash and put up his long range communications screen. Meyrin answered the hail. "We're receiving you Impulse, go ahead."

"I don't know what's going on in there, Meyrin, but Ray just had some type of hyperventilation attack. We can't investigate further. We need hazmat and security teams up here now, there's something odd about this place."

"Yokhai. One moment as I relay this to the captain." The screen blipped out.

"You'd better hurry." Shinn said under his breath as he zoomed in his cameras to the blonde in the white flight suit. Ray had the bag away from his mouth and was leaning back, taking deep breaths on his own, his eyes closed as he tried to grab warmth from the rising sun.

Impulse's screen came to life again. "Shinn, we're on our way, hang tight and keep your guard up."

"Thanks Meyrin, godspeed." He shut down the Gundam and dismounted. He sat down next to Ray. "They'll be here soon. You gonna be okay?"

"Unh." Ray nodded.

"What the hell was that in there?" Shinn rubbed his temples as he asked no one in particular.

Kira raised his head. "It's true, I admit, but…."

Athrun interrupted his perfect thought. "Whichever way it is, I'll look into it once I get back to the ship." This statement took Cagalli and Kira back a step. "So you should go back to ORB."

"Wait, you're…." Cagalli protested, nearly in tears.

"To stop these fights, to stop ORB from getting into battles, then find a way out of that treaty with the EAF first. If you're on the battlefield, it's already too late."

"But that's…."

"Woah woah woah!" Adam stepped in front of the girl and spread his arms out. "Daicho, I know for a fact how bad it was back at ORB. I mean, Cagalli-sama, THE Cagalli-sama, was totally powerless to do anything! The only thing she had left was to give me Falcon, and if she gave a prototype mobile suit like that to a bozo like me, the situation must be desperate. I mean…"

"Enough, Adam." Cagalli clamped her hand on his shoulder. "Thank you, but…" She looked towards the blue haired teen, "I know that now, Athrun. But you're not coming back to Archangel? Not even ORB?" Everyone was taken aback by it all. Athrun's old friends looked away, and Luna and Adam just stared at him, gasping slightly.

Athrun broke his love's gaze. "ORB, as long as it stays the country I knew, we'll wind up along the same path."

"Athrun!"

"Don't you get it? I've re-enlisted! I can't go back!"

"That can't…" She put her hand to her chest, and the rising sun hit the ring on her finger. Athrun gasped silently and turned away once again. Adam noticed the change in his demeanor and studied him curiously. The silent footsteps of the princess's brother nearly startled her as he put a hand on her shoulder. "Kira…"

"That leaves another question open though, Athrun. And to you as well, Adam."

"Eh?" The Falcon's pilot was surprised at his calm tone.

"Are you going to keep fighting the EAF as a ZAFT pilot?"

Both boys turned away and their minds were filled with memories of the previous battles. "Before it ends, it can't be helped." Athrun sighed. The twins took a step back.

"As long as Meyrin is in danger, I'll fight to protect her." Adam balled his fist.

"And what about ORB? Will you fight against them again?" Kira looked at him with begging eyes.

Athrun couldn't look him in the eye. "I wouldn't have wanted to, if I could have helped it. But in that situation, we had no choice in the matter!"

"Everyone on the ship was hesitant to go into battle with them! When I heard…I was in tears." Adam sighed.

The twins gasped as Athrun continued. "Don't you know what the EAF has been doing in this area? It needs to stop! Why do you think I'm telling you to hurry up and cancel that treaty before it's too late for ORB's military!"

Cagalli stifled a sob, as Kira went forward. "But Athrun, we know that already. Even so, we don't want you going against them. Either of you."

"Kira!"

"When you really look, it's not just against ORB." The Freedom's pilot turned to Adam. "The ones lost in battle won't come back."

Adam's color palette inverted again, but he shook it off as fast as he could. "I've already dealt with that!"

The blue haired boy balled both his fists as images of battles past flooded his mind. "How dare you spit out those excuses at me? You're not the only one that knows that! Think of how many people's bloods your hands are stained with!"

"Yes. I know." Kira said in the quietest voice ever heard. "That's why I've become sick to my stomach about these things."

"Kira…."

"I don't want to fight. I don't want to be made to fight." Kira looked on the verge of tears, and so did Luna, listening in from above.

"That's even more of a reason not to fight, Kira. So stop fighting and go back to ORB. Get it?" He turned away. "Adam, let's get back to the ship."

"Uh…." Adam stood there, dumbfounded as to what just happened.

"Athrun!" Cagalli interrupted.

The boy stopped and looked over his shoulder, at the ring she wore on her finger. "I also have things that I know, but can't agree with." Those words cut into the princess deeply as Athrun walked up to Savior's winch. "Adam, let's get moving!"

"In a minute. I still left a few things that I need to clean up."

"Suit yourself." As Savior took off, he took one look behind him and let the pain touch him for a moment. Savior transformed into its jet form and flew away.

"Athrun…." Cagalli sighed as she watched him go.

Adam walked up to the group and sighed. No one noticed him, so he spoke softly as he turned away. "Cagalli-sama."

"Adam!" The princess turned around. "What about…."

"Please don't ask me to come with you again." He looked up at her, a tear running down his cheek. "You have no idea how torn I am between the two of you, but I can't leave Minerva, Cagalli-sama."

"Adam…." Her eyes quivered for a moment as she stared at the tearful brown orbs of the boy. "Okay. Just promise me two things. One. You keep your girlfriend alive, but you keep yourself alive too."

"I think I can agree to that. And two?"

"Don't call me Cagalli-sama or be so formal anymore! Geez, we're friends after all, right?"

Adam chuckled a little as a small smile caressed his face. "Okay, Cagalli, I think I can deal with that." He wrapped his arms around the girl, taking her slightly off guard. "Thank you Cagalli, for everything. Let's hope next time we meet it will be under better circumstances."

"Yeah. Sayonara, Adam." The boy released his embrace on the girl and started walking away.

"Adam." Kira said in his soft tone, but the named pilot stopped nonetheless. "You never answered the question. Will you fight ORB again?"

Adam took a deep breath and sighed. "The ORB that I know and love is not the one out there right now. If they continue on their present track…." He shot a glare over his shoulder at him. "Then they're my enemies."

As the three remaining people down below took a step back, Luna was slackjawed. "Adam!" She whispered.

"And if you try to stop us like you did before, then you'll be one too, Kira Yamato, regardless of what you did for me."

Kira sighed. "As you know, I don't want to fight anyone. But I especially don't want to fight someone with a SEED."

"Eh?" Cagalli turned to look at Kira, then turned back to Adam. "He's a…."

"If that's what you want, then change ORB before something like that happens." Adam started to walk away. "Change ORB before it can't cross to the correct pass anymore."

Adam hopped into Falcon, hidden in the trees in the forest a ways away from the ruins. He dialed his cell phone. "Lunamaria, it's me."

"Oh, hi Adam. I just finished packing up."

"You heard the entire thing, right?"

"Yeah. You going to be okay?"

"I'll be fine. Some of that I wish I hadn't said though."

"I can understand why. You and Daicho were really stressed."

"And going up against Freedom's pilot like that…. It took a lot out of me."

"I get that too. But what eludes me is what he said about a seed. You know what that is?"

"Not a clue. Anyway I'm about to take off. I'll meet you back at the hotel and we can check out. Adam ou…."

"Wait Adam, hold up!"

"What now, Luna?"

"I just got an urgent recall order from the Minerva. You head back to the ship, I'll handle the cleanup and be right behind you."

"10-4. Adam out." He flipped his phone shut and sighed. Falcon's engines started up, it rose from the trees, and flew off across the ocean. "Why did it have to be like this?" This simple phrase triggered a memory of the recent past in his mind.

Meyrin pressed the open button, and the door slid aside. Adam looked up at her from his curled up position on his tearsoaked bed. Upon seeing his love, the floodgates began to open once again, and his convulsing sobs sent him to the floor. The girl ran up to him and cradled his head against her chest as the door closed. "Adam!"

"Why? Why?" His words were barely coherent. "Why did it have to be like this?"

"Shhh. Calm down, Adam. It's okay. I'm here for you." The pigtailed teen stroked his shorter orange hair.

"I…can't! How can I…be calm? I shouldn't be here! I should have…died!"

"Don't say that, Adam, you know…."

"Don't tell me that I'm wrong. You saw it. All of Minerva saw it. ORB and the EAF saw it. I should be dead right now! Not Heine! Not Heine. Not Heine." He muffled his voice into her shoulder as his yelling died down into little more than a whisper. He separated himself from his love and began to pace back and forth.

"Adam, many people from the battlefield are happy to be alive right now. Why aren't you?" Meyrin blinked at his action.

"Because…because…Heine was the better man. Why'd he kick me out of the way? He was an ace pilot, a FAITH member, and had a good unit. Why'd he have to go and save me? Why?" He held both his fists to his chest, begging for an answer.

"Maybe because he thought you were worth saving?"

"What value could I have? The only thing is my unit. I'm no ace, I've got no special rank. It doesn't make sense!" He cried out as he fell to the floor, slamming his fists into it hard.

Meyrin smiled sadly as she went up to Adam and sat back down, gently placing his head in her lap. "You're of value to me. You're a priceless treasure in my heart, Adam. Don't you think there's more to value than your skills?"

"Eh?" He flipped over and looked her in the eyes.

"Heine wasn't just a pilot, he was a friend, wasn't he? He also knew that there was someone waiting for you after the battle. You also saved him in that bout with Blue Cosmos. Who knows why he did it, but he had a reason to risk his life for you. Isn't that worthy enough?"

The sobbing boy turned over again and yelled into her legs. "No! It's not enough! It can never be enough! He should be alive! I can't replace Heine!"

"No one can replace another person, Adam. No one is expecting you to. Heine wouldn't want you to replace him either. But I don't think he'd want you to be like this either."

"Like what?"

"Wallowing in pity and sorrow. Heine gave you a gift, Adam, a second chance. Do you really want to spend it like this for the rest of your life? You've got to live on for his sacrifice, and live life like he'd want you to. Please, calm down a little."

The Falcon's pilot looked back up for a second "How can you tell me to calm down when you're crying too?"

Meyrin took a hand away from Adam's hair and drew it up to her cheek. She pulled it back wet. "Yes, I am. But they're different." She collapsed over the boy in her lap, cradling him with everything she had. "I'm crying in happiness that you survived. Heine's sacrifice gave me back the one I love. How can I not be happy at that?"

"Meyrin…."

"I got you back, thanks to Heine. Sure I'm sad that he's gone, but I'm happy that he returned you to me. Please don't waste his gift like this, Adam. He would want you to move on. Please!"

As the tears kept clouding his vision, he saw his girlfriend fawning over him in tears. "I…I…."

"I'm begging you Adam! I don't want to see you like this!" The young woman cried out as she pushed back to look straight at his eyes.

Adam was indecisive. He didn't know what to do about anything anymore. He let his instinct take over as he pulled Meyrin close and kissed her trembling lips with everything he had. The younger Hawke sister's eyes went wide in shock at the motion, but soon closed and remained in tearful joy. Two tears, one from each partner, ran down to the corners of their locked mouths, where they merged and fell to the floor unnoticed.

As the memory faded, Adam sighed again. "Is this a war or an atrocity?" He flew on, back to Minerva's port.

As Athrun boarded Savior in the setting sun once again, a blip closed in on his radar screen. The computer identified the radar shadow as that of Falcon. Athrun sighed and hit his communications window. "Falcon, this is Savior. Do you read?"

"Hai. What is it, Daicho?" Adam came up on the other end.

"You're wasting your time if you're going to land here, Adam. I was just informed that the Minerva launched in a scramble. She's no longer here."

"Eh? What in the world? Did you get a fix on their heading?"

"Hai." He said as he put his helmet on. "I'm lifting off right now, form on my wing and I'll take you there."

"Yokhai." Adam saluted before the screen turned off.

Athrun took to the sky in short order. After going at a slow enough speed for Adam to form up, he accelerated, and they went to cruising speed. His communications screen beeped, but he ignored it for a while. After it was obvious it wouldn't go away, he turned it on. "What is it Adam?"

For a moment, Adam stared at Athrun. "It was painful."

"Ah. It was."

"You're wondering if you should really be here, aren't you?"

"How the hell would you know what I'm thinking?"

"Because we're the same." He broke eye contact and typed something on his keyboard. "I don't know where my place is anymore either."

"Your place is with your friends, Adam."

"Half your friends are on the Archangel, and the other half on the Minerva. And Cagalli is my friend, so I'm in the same spot. Do you think what we're doing is right?"

Athrun sighed. "I think that what we're doing seems right at the time. If it turns out to be wrong, we shouldn't have any regrets about it, and try to own up to the mistake."

"That makes sense, Daicho. Thanks."

"You're welcome."

As Athrun was about to turn off his screen, Adam spoke up again. "Hey Daicho?"

"What now?"

"Do you get dental?"

"Huh?"

"Dental, dental benefits. Do pilots like us get dental plans?"

Athrun sweatdropped. "Wh…where did that come from?"

"Because when the captain finds out what I did on the mission, I'm going to lose a few teeth." At this, both of them laughed as they went along their way to the Minerva.

Minerva had landed in a large courtyard outside of the main building that Shinn and Ray had gone into before. It took them some time to set up an operations control center outside it. By the time it was ready, and the teams with machine guns and biohazard suits were inside, the sun had already set. The radio was filled with chatter. "This is F-2 to all teams. We've found the detonation switches. Deactivation confirmed."

"F-1, this is F-5. Second floor has been cleared."

"F-1, this is F-3. They're all decomposing. The smell is overwhelming."

Inside the ship's infirmary, Shinn pieced his uniform back together. "Hey, seriously. There's nothing wrong with me."

"That's what they all say." The doctor said as he examined the boy's readings. "But we want to make sure anyway. Though there haven't been any viruses or gasses in or around the building that we can detect, that doesn't mean that there aren't other things to worry about."

As the doctor spoke with Shinn, Ray lay in the other bed with the shade shut, awake. His mind was trying to sort out his memories, but they were all confusing. When he compared his memories to that of the lab, he came to the conclusion he wanted. "It's not the same."

"The captain screwed up by just sending two pilots into an unknown area like that." The doctor sighed.

"We did all the routine checks before we went in, you know." Shinn pouted for a moment as the other bed's shade slid open. "Ray."

The blonde boy stood up and grabbed his uniform jacket. "Please excuse me. I feel better now. Thank you for taking care of me."

"You sure? You can stay for as long as you need." The doctor turned towards him in his seat, while Shinn looked on with concern.

"Iie. Really, I am back to full strength again."

Back in the control center, the captain sat at a terminal set up on a foldable table with her first officer. One of the team captains reported to her. "Check of the interior is complete, ma'am. The self-destruct mechanisms have been disabled, and there are no signs of bio-hazards."

"Is that so? Thank you." She said through her ponderance.

"But then…why did Ray react the way he did?" Arthur scratched the back of his head.

A call came in from the radar man on Minerva. "Captain, Savior and Falcon are approaching."

As Shinn and Ray emerged from the ship, Falcon and Savior switched to mobile suit modes and landed next to Impulse and the Zaku. Adam and Athrun dismounted and went up to the captain. "When I got back to port, the control tower told me you had already left." Athrun said.

"What's Minerva doing in a place like this? Did something happen?" Adam chimed in.

Everything was in disarray in the EAF's port. Battleships and mobile suits were being repaired left and right. There would be no sleep for the mechanics this night. Even the officers were talking reports and schedules. The only one that was sleeping soundly was the bastard himself, Yuna.

Inside the John Paul Jones' MS hangar, Sting and Auel griped to the maintenance crew about their suits, while Stellar hung to Neo's arm as he checked up on her suit. "Well, yeah. It's not like we were expecting for all three to be disabled." He spoke to a mechanic.

"True, but without the equipment at Suez, they're tough to fix."

"I understand that, but it's something that can't be helped. If it was a total defeat, then we'd have a reason to go back." The girl on his arm let out a curious tone. "But Stellar is unharmed, along with the others." He looked at her through his gray mask.

"Unh!" She said happily.

Another crewman came up to the group and saluted. "Lorrnoke, sir!"

"What's up?"

"It's about Lodonia Laboratory."

"Hmm?" Neo broke away from Stellar and came closer to the man.

The messenger whispered to him, but Stellar's acute hearing still picked them up. "There was an accident, and it was never disposed of. If that isn't bad enough, ZAFT now occupies it."

Neo flinched slightly. "Oy, oy. That's really bad."

"Suez got the report, and they're worried as well. I felt it would be best to inform you of the situation as well."

"Eh?" Stellar cocked her head to one side as her brain slowly soaked up the information.

As Adam went inside the ship to change into his uniform, Athrun, Shinn, Talia, and Arthur all went inside the facility. What they saw was horrid. "Uuuuhhhh!" That was the only thing Arthur could get out as he covered his mouth with his arm. As flies buzzed in their ears and crows perched on pipes above them, Talia covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief. There was blood everywhere. Dead bodies strewn across each other, some in lab coats, but many small children as well. Shinn and Athrun tried to comprehend it all as they slowly went forward, examining the bodies with their flashlights. Arthur's foot hit something that started rolling. "Whaaaaahhahaaa?" Was his panicked cry as he turned his flashlight towards the sound. It was an empty glass vial. He let out a sigh of relief before moving his flashlight again. Unfortunately, he moved it up, to the body of a child held up by wires, behind cracked glass. "Gyyaaaaahhhhhhh!" After seeing that the child would not move, he finally spoke, moving his flashlight slowly around the room. "This building…what the hell is this place!" Both walls were made of glass, cracked and broken, with naked children hanging by wires.

Outside, Ray's sensitive hearing picked something up from inside and turned towards it. He stared at the track leading to the entrance as Adam walked up. "Hmm?" The orange haired boy followed his gaze. "Whatcha looking at?"

"It's nothing."

"The captain and the others went in there, didn't they?"

"Hai."

"Well, I'll be going in too. Keep our sixes clear out here okay?" He said as he dashed into the building.

The captain swallowed her bile before it could make its way up her throat. "Something must have happened, perhaps a mutiny. When that happened, they…must have tried to destroy the facility."

"But…these are just kids! Why are they…?" Arthur let the comment hang.

Athrun knelt down and gently moved a dead girl's hair out of her face. He gasped and turned away. "Daicho?" Shinn noticed his reaction.

"Her eyes, they've been…." Athrun couldn't even finish the sentence.

Shinn took one look and finished it for him, his eyes wide. "…gouged…out." His brows quivered as he ground his teeth. They moved on to the next room as the captain sighed.

The EAF pilots headed to the lounge, with Stellar bringing up the rear. She stopped for a moment before she got to the door. "The Lodonia Laboratory…."

"Uh?" Sting blinked.

"Eh?" Auel leaned against the door frame.

"Say, what is it?" She asked.

Sting was the first to answer. "The Lodonia Lab? Isn't that where…."

"Yeah, that's where we used to hang out." Auel shrugged it off and went in to get a drink.

"Why are you asking all of a sudden?" Sting followed.

Stellar quickly went after them. "It's bad, ZAFT, that's what Neo said!"

"Wha?" Both boys were startled as they turned to look at her.

"ZAFT is at Lodonia." Stellar reconfirmed it.

Auel gritted his teeth. "Damn it!"

"That's bad, really bad." Sting crossed his arms.

"We've got to do something, let's go to Neo."

"What? Are you crazy?"

"We have to save that place!"

"If we were to do that we'd be marching straight into ZAFT controlled territory!"

"Then let's get him to organize an operation and liberate the damn thing!"

"If that were going to happen, don't you think it would have been done by now?"

"I don't care! That lab is important to all of us, you know that!"

"Of course I know that! But that doesn't mean we have to get all bent out of shape about it!"

"How can you be like this?"

"This is war! There are territorial wins and territorial losses. We can get it back later!"

"But it's ZAFT that's there! They'll taint and destroy the place! I won't let that happen!"

"Don't rush into this, Auel! You'll only get yourself killed!" Sting put a hand on the sky-blue haired boy's shoulder.

"We don't know until we try! And I won't let you stop me from trying! No mobile suit can match mine when it comes to fire power! I'll drive them away from there!" He stomped towards the door.

Sting came up behind him and hooked his arms around him. The door slid open as Auel struggled to break free. "Woah! Come on! Try to calm down! Auel!"

The struggling boy broke free as Stellar looked on with trembling eyes. "Why should I? How can I stay calm? At the lab, mother is…!" He completely froze, his turquoise eyes dilated, and he started to tremble. "K…kaasan…." His voice was barely audible, and Sting instantly noticed the change in his demeanor. Auel brought his hands up to his face as his eyes filled with tears. "Kaasan…at the lab…she…."

"Hey! Baka! Auel!" Sting clamped his hands on the boy's arms.

Auel collapsed to the floor and doubled over. "Kaasan! She's…." He threw his head back and cried out. "She's going to die!" Stellar gasped at these words as he continued to break down. "Mother…without mother, I can't handle it..."

"She'll die?" Stellar's voice trembled quietly, unheard by both Auel and Sting. She walked past both of them, in an almost robotic state.

"Come on, pull yourself together, baka! Look what you've done to yourself!"

"Kaasan!"

"Aw man! Dammit!"

In the hallway, Stellar whispered to herself. "She'll die? It's bad to die. It's scary." She stopped in her tracks. "Mamoru." A quick vision of a boy with black hair and red eyes ran through her brain. She didn't know who it was, or what happened, but that word was significant to her. "Protect!" She started to run in silence.

On the bridge, Neo picked up the phone. "What's up?"

"Lorrnoke, sir! You have to come down here right away! Auel Neider has lapsed!"

Stellar's sprint took her to the MS Hangar. She ran past the mechanics and jumped into Gaia without a word. She activated the unit. "Get that hatch open!" The black phase shift armor quickly spread over its body. "Do it or I'll break it down!"

The man at the station was stunned by the rash action. "What the hell?" He picked up his phone as Gaia started to move, taking out the umbilical bridge in front of it. "Bridge, we've got a problem! Get the Colonel down here right away!"

"Colonel!" An officer called to him the moment he found him.

Gaia took off from the platform and hit the road, literally. With a quick burst from her booster, she jumped onto the main road and galloped around the cliff in BaCOE mode. "Lodonia Lab…kaasan…mamoru…protect mother."

The four entered what seemed to be an office with a computer in it, but the decoration was a bit odd. One side was just a glass window, but the other two sides, not counting the side with the door, were covered in a rather strange decoration. Shelves of fake brains with wires attached to them, in glass containers. As they stepped around the few bodies that were there, they studied a brain wall closely, none of them saying a word. Adam stuck his head in between Shinn and Athrun. "What are we looking at?" He whispered. All four recoiled, not hearing him come in, Athrun and Shinn had their hands poised to fight. When they realized it was Adam, they smacked him on the head, each in turn. "Ow! Ow! What was that for?"

"Don't scare us like that!" Shinn yelled at him.

"If you do that again, I swear I'll shoot you!" Athrun shook his fist at the boy.

"Geez you guys are jumpy. I mean this is just another haunted house amusement park, right? Dead bodies, oooo. Blood stained walls, oooooo. Naked children hanging from wires, oooooo. Although I think the naked thing was over the top, they did a good job making it look real. They even added the smell."

"Um, Adam…." Shinn tried to interrupt.

"But boy is this place in disrepair!"

"Um, Adam…." Athrun took his hand at getting the boy's attention.

"How'd those crows get in here anyway? I swear, I got hit by more droppings than in my whole life back there."

"Adam Cancho!" Arthur yelled at him.

"What?"

"They're real, Adam. These corpses, they're real. The blood is real, the children are real. All of it."

Adam froze. "But…but…they're only…children!"

"I know. I say it's time we find some answers." Gladys said as she sat down in front of a computer terminal. As the others examined the brains, she typed away, and the computer buzzed as a result. "Eh?" Athrun went around to look over her shoulder. "CE 64.7.11: Failure confirmed. CE 64.8.7: Disposal completed." She read from a child's record that was pictured.

"Just what are you reading?" Arthur walked up to join the two, as Adam searched the casings some more.

"The children…they were test subjects. Each one has a destination record!"

"Uh, guys." Adam stared at one case. "Th…this one is labeled 64.8.7." He pointed at it.

"Eeehhh?" Arthur spun around. "You mean these aren't fake?"

"64.8.8. 64.8.9 64.8.10." Adam went down the line. "They're all in chronological order!"

"This isn't an office, it's a reference library of failed experiments!" Talia gasped. "The EAF's Extended project. I'm sure you've heard about it. Humans that know nothing other than fighting, created by Blue Cosmos using drugs and other such means driven by their intense hatred towards genetic engineering. They're fighting machines! Three of them were released into the custody of Murata Azrael."

"Eh?" Athrun leaned forward and saw three blueprints on her screen. "Raider, Calamity, Forbidden! The pilots came from here?"

"It seems that way. This must be a research and development facility for that purpose." Gladys stated. Adam and the others gasped, and he opened up another terminal opposite to the captain, and he started searching through the files. "If they were to fight Coordinators like us, their bodies needed to be modified and strengthened. They did that through experiments and drugs. Day after day, nothing but combat training. Those that didn't change or comply were eradicated without remorse. That's what this place is."

"It's more than that, Captain." Adam said as he scanned through a file. "I'm thinking this was also to be a base of operations once a good way was determined and a good enough force was produced."

"Why do you say that, Adam?" She stood up and walked around to his side.

"I found a list of all the Coordinators living on the Earth." Adam slammed back in his chair in surprise. He looked up to his best friend. "Even us!"

Shinn gasped. "Us? Our names are on there?" Adam nodded.

"A hit list! These were the targets!" Talia's eyes widened.

"Exactly." Adam shut the machine down.

The five left the facility to the cleanup crew, and they returned to the control center outside. Talia called up to the bridge. "Please grab all the data you can for right now. Though an investigative squad will probably show up later, it's best to send back what we can." Arthur rubbed his stomach as he tried to be a faithful first officer. "With a base like this, the EAF won't leave it abandoned for long. Burt, please keep scanning the area for enemies."

"Hai."

A stretcher with a dead body passed them, and Arthur got caught off guard with the stench. His constitution finally gave out and he rushed to find the closest trash can to throw up in. Athrun sighed at the entire situation as he sat at the table. Shinn snarled as he leaned up against one of the poles. "Really, this is disgusting. Blue Cosmos says Coordinators are evil creatures that go against nature, and they do something like this?" He whipped his head towards his commander.

"Shinn…."

"'Oh, sorry, we can't let you manipulate your genes. This is the right way.' That isn't just a little double standard." Adam had his eyes closed as he leaned against the opposite end of the table. "Who decided that this sort of thing should be allowed?"

Shinn slammed his hands on the table, hard. "What the hell? What is Blue Cosmos thinking?"

"You're completely right, you two."

Neo stepped into the hangar. "Complete idiots! Why did you let her…?" He stopped as he surveyed the damage. The mechanics didn't let her out, she forced her way out, the twisted metal still smoking where she blasted it. "Some deity must really hate me."

As this was happening, Sting looked on as two doctors were administering relaxants to a sobbing and twitching Auel. "Kaasan…." It was the last word he said before the drugs took effect and he fell asleep.

Gaia ran through the trees, cutting them in half with its wing sabers so Stellar would have a clear and unempeeded path.

The radar officer, Burt, came up on the Captain's laptop. "Captain. A mobile suit is approaching! It's Gaia."

Upon overhearing this, the three present pilots ran to their respective suits. "Is it alone? Are any more following it?"

"No. It appears to be alone."

"Just one suit?" She thought out loud. She picked up a radio. "Protect the facility at all costs. We don't have time to send Impulse any Silhouettes or have Falcon fitted with a new nose. Use Force and Comet. Do you understand all this, Athrun, Shinn, Adam?"

"Hai!" All three said in unison.

"Gaia…." Adam whispered to himself as he launched. _Alarms beeped on Adam's console, and as he started to look behind him, an orange suit kicked him over. "You idiot, get out of the way!" Heine yelled. His alarms beeped too late, as Gaia's blades cut through the back of the Gouf, straight through the cockpit. "Guhh!" His scream was cut off as he was cut in half, the glass in his helmet had shattered. The two halves of Gouf slid off of Gaia's wing and exploded, legs first, then the upper half, the suits purple eye still shining. _"That mobile suit…that pilot…is going to die tonight!" Falcon went to jet form and accelerated past the other suits.

"Protect mother…." Stellar said as her radar alerted her of their presence.

Adam strafed the ground with his vulcans, but Gaia jumped out of the way. Falcon switched to mobile suit and drew its beam sabers from their casings in the wings. Adam dropped on top of Stellar as Gaia switched to MS, blocking his downswings of both swords with her shield. "Eeehhhh!" Adam grunted as they deadlocked. Stellar swept out the metallic monstrosity's legs from under it, sending Falcon off balance. Gaia swung its shield into it hard, knocking the suit away. It once again switched to BaCOE mode and booster-jumped towards the two other approaching units.

"Why you!" Shinn snapped as he accelerated.

"Be careful, Shinn. If they plan to destroy the lab, it might have some hidden weapon." Gaia fired its shoulder blasters at Shinn, but Impulse barrel rolled and evaded. Shinn tried firing a shot, but Gaia was too close, it hit his shield and bounced even higher into the air. "We have to make sure we don't blow it up."

"Eeehhh?" Shinn couldn't believe his ears. His alarm went off as Gaia jumped on his shield again after firing two more shots. Impulse was sent hurtling to the ground. "Gyaaahh!"

"That's it!" Adam said as his weapon squatted down and jumped into the air.

"Shinn! Tch!" Athrun switched Savior back into mobile suit mode. Stellar was panting heavily as her alarms went off. Savior fired its green beams around the metal beast. When seeing an opening between blasts, her BaCOE formed suit leapt into the air. The faster Savior sliced off its side buster.

"Tch! You can tell me not to blow it up, but…." Shinn said as the captain watched from a monitor as the suits exchanged blows.

"Shinn, can you get it from below? It's weak on descent!" Athrun relayed a communication.

"I'm trying, damn it!"

"Shit. This is getting us no where." Adam said. His radar detected a small something headed in his direction. He brought it up on screen. It was a small helicopter. "Lunamaria? Of all the times!" Adam raced into battle coming from above.

Savior fired its pink and blue busters at the black creature as it dodged Impulse's saber swipes. As they singed the side of Gaia, Adam came down with a beam saber from above. "Haaaaaa!" Gaia turned back into mobile suit and pulled out its own saber. It swiped upward and sent Falcon's arm flying. "Nani?"

Falcon's attack distracted her from Impulse. "Geeeeeeyyyy!" Shinn came up from below, beam saber in hand. Before Stellar could react, the suit's chest was sliced open vertically, so you would be able to see the pilot of you looked inside. The force sent the black suit flying to the ground backwards, where it skidded to a stop in the forest. When it didn't move, Shinn sighed and used his cameras to look inside. He gasped when he saw an unconscious female figure.

Athrun did the same. "Eh? A girl?"

On a hunch, Shinn magnified his camera. He saw the girl's face and slammed back into his seat. "That girl is…Stellar!" Falcon landed at Gaia's feet and turned its back towards it. "Falcon?" Adam opened up its rear buster port. "Adam, what the hell are you doing!"

"This monster killed Heine. I'm disposing of it." Adam stared at his communications screen with enraged determination.

Life Goes On.

Chapter 15 Preview: Memories of the past drive ones actions for the future. For everyone in every time period, this is the same. But what about those who have no past, what drives them? What is it that they should believe in? Next time on Old Friends Anew: Promises. Extinguish the rain of fire with your eight wings, Freedom!


	15. Old Friends Anew Ch 15

Old Friends Anew

Phase-15: Promises

"Adam, what the hell are you doing!" Shinn screamed over the radio as Falcon opened its cannon port and locked it onto the disabled Gaia.

"This monster killed Heine. I'm disposing of it." Adam stared at his communications screen with enraged determination.

Savior transformed into Mobile Suit mode and hovered over the scene. "Adam, didn't you hear me? I said we have to try not to blow it up!"

"Like it blew up that Gouf? She deserves this!" Adam reached for the firing button. His alarms beeped, and Impulse gave the blue and brown robot a swift kick to the head. "Aagh!" Adam missed the firing controls and Falcon was thrown away from Gaia. "Who's side are you on, Shinn?" Adam growled as he got back up.

"I'm not letting you destroy it! I'll never let you!"

"Damn you!" Adam pulled out his blaster. "Heine's murderer is right behind you, and you don't want to destroy it? Get out of the line of fire or else I will shoot you too!"

"No!"

Savior dropped down and sliced Falcon's blaster in half. "Adam, stop being unreasonable! Don't you remember what I said? 'Killing because someone was killed…Being killed because you killed…Is that really going to lead to peace?'"

"Don't preach to me, Daicho! You said yourself that you hadn't found the answer! Now get out of my way!" As he tried to get passed the red mobile suit, he caught a glimpse of Shinn being lowered by Impulse's winch before Savior blocked him again.

"I may not have found the answer but I know one of the things that isn't the answer. You can't kill out of vengeance. Even if you do get the goal, you'll feel empty inside, and what of those people that loved the person you killed? They'll come after you for revenge to. That's a neverending cycle!"

Adam gritted his teeth and his hands twitched against the controls. "Daicho…!"

"Return to base before you do something rash. Think over what I've said."

"Tch!" Adam spat, ironically it landed softly on the firing controls he was going to use before. Falcon turned around. "Adam Cancho returning to base." He lifted off and headed for Minerva.

As Athrun sighed and watched him go, Shinn hopped onto the cockpit of Gaia and looked in. When he saw the girl up close it was official. "Oh God, it is you!" He jumped in and unbuckled her safety belts. The black haired pilot gingerly lifted the unconscious girl out of the cockpit as blood from her head stuck to his hand that was supporting it. "What have I done?" When they made it to the ground, he put her on his knee and held her hand as she came to a semi-conscious state. "Stellar, how could you be the one that…."

She coughed as Savior landed next to them. The cockpit opened up, and Athrun began to emerge. "Shinn!"

Stellar half opened her purple eyes. "Dying's not good…. It's scary. I can't…must protect…."

"Tch!" Shinn stood up with her in his arms and mounted Impulse.

As Athrun jumped onto Gaia, he saw them rise up to the cockpit. "Shinn! Oy, Shinn! What the hell are you doing?" The younger boy and his passenger took off and headed towards the ship. Athrun jumped out of the way just before he was caught by the engine's backwash. He ran back to his Gundam and started mounting it.

The captain called over the radio. "Is something wrong, Athrun? What about Shinn?"

Athrun slammed back into his seat and turned on his radio. "Unknown. But he's going straight for Minerva, and he's got the enemy pilot with him!"

"Ehh?" Arthur overheard the conversation from the background of the base. Ray stopped and listened as well.

"Did I hear you right?" Talia was in total confusion.

"No way! Is he even thinking straight?" Arthur added his two cents.

"Meyrin, open the hatch! Do it now!" Shinn yelled into his radio.

"Shinn? What's going on? Why are you…?" Meyrin was confused at his outburst.

Shinn lifted the blonde so she could be seen by the camera. "Does this answer your question? Open it!"

Meyrin's eyes widened as she simply pressed the hatch controls, saying nothing. When the screen blipped out, she finally recovered. She patched through the hangar crew. "Impulse is returning. Impulse is returning. Emergency situation declared."

Warning lights and sirens went off in the hangar. "Impulse is returning?" Vino blinked.

"Emergency situation? What is it this time?" Youlan asked his comrade.

"Dunno, but we've gotta move!" Shinn flew his mobile suit inside the ship and actually walked into the hangar, instead of letting the magnetic grips do it for him. He didn't wait for an elevator platform to get into position as he dismounted with Stellar on his arm. "Just what is all this, Shinn?"

"Shut up! Move it!" He snarled desperately as he went into a run.

"Whatever it is, I'm heading back." Gladys turned to her first officer. "Assign Ray to retrieve Gaia, or at least what he can find of it."

"Uh…hai!" He responded, and Ray, who was behind him, walked to his mobile suit without a word.

In the cramped Minerva elevator, Stellar held onto Shinn's neck, still barely conscious. "No…I can't die…I don't want to…"

Shinn bit his lip as the doors opened. Two crew members were in front of it. "Get out of the way, now!" He said as he pushed through them. He broke into a run down the hall.

"Hey, what the…?" One of them yelled after him.

"Mamoru…." Stellar whispered.

"It's okay…I'm telling you it's okay now." Shinn panted as he ran. "I'll keep my promise to you. For you I'll…I'll…I'll always protect you!" He burst into the infirmary with the girl in his arms. "Doctor! Emergency! Hurry and treat her, please!"

The doctor and nurse looked his way in shock as he put her in one of the hospital beds. The nurse put her fist to her mouth. "What is all this?" The doctor asked.

"That uniform…she's EAF!" The nurse stated the obvious.

"She's hurt badly! I'm begging you…!" Shinn looked at them.

"I'm afraid…protect…." Stellar continued to spew her nonsense.

"Without the captain's permission, I can't treat the enemy." The doctor said matter-of-factly. "I have gotten no notifications."

"Then do it in my name! Fix her up while I get the appropriate permission! Do it!"

"I can't die…not like…." Stellar couldn't move.

"Stop being hypocritical in your Hippocratic Oath and do your job as a healer! Are you just going to stand there while she might die on us?" Shinn was getting desperate.

At the word she hated more than any ZAFT soldier, Stellar twitched. She got up slowly. "Dying? Dying is…is…." She dove on top of Shinn. "Grraaaahhh!" The blonde psychotic slammed Shinn into the floor hard and jumped back, knocking a medical table out of the way and spilling its contents.

As she threw the doctor to the floor, Shinn yelled. "Stop it, Stellar, please!" She responded to her name and jumped the boy again, wrapping her hands around his neck. Stellar threw him across the floor. As the nurse approached with a hypo-spray, she whipped around and began choking the young nurse. Soldiers piled into the room, with the captain and Athrun close behind. Shinn gasped as he recovered from her attack. "Stellar!" He ran and ripped the blonde away from her victim.

Gladys pulled back slightly at his action. "Stand down, but keep ready." She issued an order to the soldiers, and they lowered their weapons.

"Shinn!" Athrun was stunned by the chaos around him as Talia approached slowly.

Stellar was sitting on the boy, flailing madly to break free as his arms hooked around her shoulders. Even though he barely was able to overpower her, he spoke to her at the same time. "I'm so sorry, Stellar. This is all my fault!" She screeched madly as she failed at prying him off. "It'll be okay! I'm begging you, please calm down!" Her elbow managed to hit him in the cheek and Shinn spat blood.

"NO!" She cried at the top of her lungs as she convulsed one last time. She passed out in his arms.

When he was sure that she was out and not faking it, he laid her back in the bed and sighed. "Kuso." He wiped off the blood from his chin.

The captain sighed and turned to the doctor. "Treat her. She has a few questions to answer."

"Eh? H…hai!" The doctor was stunned.

"Shinn Asuka!" The captain commanded menacingly. Instantly the boy was in front of her, at attention. She slapped him hard and he fell to the floor, blood dribbling out of the corner of his mouth once again. He struggled to get up. "Treat him too, and send him to my ready room once you're done."

"Hai."

As Gaia was moved into the hangar, Lunamaria and Ray stood looking at it. Ray raised his eyebrow when he saw her out of the corner of his eye. "When did you get here?"

"I've been here for the past hour. Did absolutely no one notice me? You're the tenth person to ask me that."

"Oh…." He turned back to the now gray Gundam. They said absolutely nothing for a full minute.

"Can't believe no one noticed I was back." Luna grumbled. "You'd think people would actually miss me after I've been gone for a week."

"Perhaps if you spoke less, you'd be more recognized for what you do say." Ray said under his breath.

She shot a glare at him. "What did you say?"

"I said, I'm glad you have returned." He said back, but in his mind it was more like. 'That was too close for comfort.'

"Really? You really missed me?"

"Of course. Your necessity as a pilot makes it that your presence is very valuable."

Luna slumped and sighed. "I knew it."

Shinn stood at attention in the captain's chambers. His cheek was swollen slightly, but he did not put an ice pack on it as his own self punishment. Captain Gladys was still enraged. "I want to know who gave you the authority to bring an enemy soldier onto this ship! Do you know what you did? Military Law Section 4, Paragraph 2, and Section 11, Paragraph 6! Recognize those references? Those are what you've broken. You have no idea how severe the punishment can be for such a violation." Shinn stayed absolutely motionless. "Did you think of what could have and almost did occur? Someone could have gotten killed!"

"I sincerely apologize." He said in the softest tone his voice box would allow.

"It seems you know this girl…Stellar, is it? Where did you meet her and when?"

"In Diocvia, I saved her from drowning in the ocean." He said as he reminisced. "I believe Athrun submitted a report about that."

"I'll have to pull it up again later. Continue."

"Back then, I thought she was a victim of the war, without her parents, and mentally scarred by something terrible."

"Even so, she's Gaia's pilot. She was in the cockpit after all. I hope you understand that by now." Shinn flinched. "I'm also worried that she might be one of those…." A terminal on her desk beeped and she pressed a button. "Nani?"

"Captain, could you come down to the infirmary? I think you should see this yourself."

"I'm on my way." She turned off the intercom. "You're coming too, Shinn."

"Understood, ma'am."

Athrun waited outside of the captain's chambers to speak with her. As she and Shinn emerged to head down to the infirmary, he was about to say something to her, but she raised her hand, signaling that they'd speak later. Athrun just sighed silently and watched them go. At the same time, Lunamaria rounded the corner behind the FAITH personnel. When she saw him, she jumped back around the corner and hid. She downcast her eyes and left before he could see her.

There was a miniature watercooler meeting going on in the lounge. "So, Gaia's pilot is actually a girl?" Vino asked the others.

The nurse that was attacked before was also with them. "I almost died because of her. Her and that reckless boy that brought her in."

"I don't get why Shinn would do something like that though." Meyrin crossed her arms.

"Because he's a total imbecile, that's why!" Adam said as he pounded on a machine. "Stupid piece of crap! Give me my soda!" A final swift kick shot it out and hit his kneecap. "Damn it!" He crouched down and held his damaged leg.

"Adam, you're getting really worked up today. Are you okay?" His girlfriend looked on with concern.

"No I'm not okay! That girl took out who knows how many ZAFT soldiers, and what does Shinn do? He just throws all that aside and brings her on the ship. Both of them should be in the brig."

"Adam, am I actually hearing you right?" Vino blinked at him.

"You don't mean that do you? Shinn's your best friend!" Meyrin stepped closer to him.

"I sure as hell do mean it! Son-of-a…." He just turned and walked away, taking his anger to a less public place.

When Shinn and the captain entered the infirmary, they saw the girl in a pink medical smock, unconscious, and strapped tightly to the bed. Shinn was stunned. "Those can't be necessary! She's injured! I agree she went a little out of control before, but…."

"That's not the problem!" The doctor interrupted.

"Uh?"

"By my educated guess, this girl is an EAF Extended."

"What?" Shinn backed up a step.

"I knew it." Talia whispered.

"I've put her under for now, but as she is, I don't know how long that will last." The doctor sighed. "We did a routine checkup before we treated her…and well…here are the results." He handed the captain a pad with the report on it. "There were some shocking results. For one thing, various bodily functions and elemental content are far too high." The captain looked at the results. The actual readings were at least triple the normal amount, and some went much higher. "Not only that, but there are some foreign bodies detected in her that shouldn't exist in any human, Natural or Coordinator."

"So they transformed her into this artificially? Perhaps with drugs?"

"That's my guess." Shinn let out a stunned sigh at his admission. "This is just what we can ascertain here. We'd need to get her to a specialized facility to find out exactly what's going on inside of her. When I was looking through the records from the Lodonia facility and compared it, I found a lot of similarities."

"I see…"

"She does have a lot of bad injuries from the fight, I have no idea how to treat her. As she is, what would seem like a normal and simple treatment could be fatal. But most of all…." The doctor's thought instantly left him as the girl in the bed opened her eyes.

Shinn bent over towards her with a calming smile. "Stellar!" She slowly turned towards him.

Her confused look turned angry. "Who the hell are you?" Shinn gasped in surprise. "Why am I here?" She tried to get up, but the straps stopped her. She started to twist, turn, and buck, struggling to break free.

"Everyone stay clear of her." The doctor said as he backed away.

"Stellar…." Shinn looked down on her fight in disbelief. The severity of her thrashing increased, and she dug her nails into her palms as a reflex as well, making her hands bleed, splattering the bed with it as she bucked. Not being able to stand seeing her torture herself like that, Shinn threw himself upon her, trying to stop her. "Stellar! Listen to me, Stellar! It's okay now. It's alright! I'm here now, so calm down, please! You recognize me don't you? It's Shinn!"

The name made her stop completely. She gasped slightly as she moved her still stressed eyes to observe him. A memory of a handkerchief came to the forefront of her brain. It felt like her skull was burning. Shinn looked at her with a soft smile. "I don't know…I don't know any bastards like you!" Shinn shot up as Stellar began to struggle with new fervor. "Neo! Please save me, Neo!"

"Stellar…." Shinn whispered to himself, still not understanding.

"Her brain patterns aren't normal either." The doctor said as he prepared a hypospray. "Her memories and personality have probably been manipulated as well." He walked up to the girl and spoke to her authoritatively. "You can't break these. You'll only hurt yourself worse. Give it up or I'll have to sedate you."

She didn't obey, and the doctor injected the spray into her leg. Within a few seconds, her eyes rolled into her head. "I don't like it…this place is…."

"Her memories are gone?" Shinn was still taking it all in.

"Neo…please…."

"No way…that can't be…." Shinn found himself hitting a computer terminal. He didn't even realize he had been backing up.

The doctor sighed as he handed the spray back to the nurse. The captain asked him a question. "Just what did you give her?"

"Enough sedative to knock out a medium-sized bull elephant for three hours."

"Isn't that risky?"

"In a normal human being, yes. But she's far beyond normal. The last sedative I gave her should have lasted twelve hours. It made it to two."

Back at the EAF controlled port, Neo was given some bad news as Auel and Sting slept in their cradles. "Setting aside the problem with the Lodonia Lab, we're to declare Stellar Loussier as MIA."

"I was careless." Neo chastised himself.

"I disagree, sir. You've done very well, something that Lord Djibril has recognized as well."

"Stop kissing up." The man in the mask sighed. "MIA…eh? I guess that's typical for the military."

"Ah…"

"Well, nothing can be done. Thank you for the report." The other man saluted and left. Neo turned to one of the techs observing Sting and Auel's readings. "Sorry, but you're not going to like this. Could you erase Stellar from their brains?"

"Eh? Erase her?" He turned. "That…might take quite a while. It runs pretty deep."

"I know that. But I have no choice but to ask that you do so. I'm counting on you."

The tech sighed. "Very well. I'll pull all the techs down here and we'll get started right away."

"Yosh!" Arthur said after the sun had risen. "Minerva hashin! Helm, chart a course to Port Talquis." The battleship rose from the Lodonia facility, leaving the analysis team behind to study the place more thoroughly.

In her room, the captain studied all the materials gathered from the Lodonia computers and tried to compile a report.

In his room, Athrun sat on his bed, with his head down. His brain finally getting a chance to think through his conversation with his beloved and his best friend. "Kuso!" He whispered.

In her room, Lunamaria leaned back at her desk, looking up at the photograph of Athrun, Kira, Cagalli, and Miriallia she took from her hiding spot before Adam tumbled down the cliff. She became guilty and depressed as she looked from the photos to the disk that held her report. "What should I do?" She whispered.

Shinn stepped into his quarters dejectedly, and the door slid shut. "You piece of shit!" The boy found himself facefirst on his bed, his right cheek sore once again. He pushed off and saw that his sheets would need changing, his lip had started bleeding again. A hand roughly flipped him over on his back. Adam held him by the cuff of his uniform, his free hand in a fist. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't beat you into a pulp!"

"For what?" Shinn just looked up at him.

"Don't play dumb with me! You've forgotten about all the lives that girl has taken, haven't you? You've betrayed the memories of all that were lost because of Gaia!"

"Have I?"

"Yes you have, you bastard! Heine was a good man, better than both of us, and she's the one that killed him! Athrun is right, revenge isn't the answer, but can't you even hate her? You showed her something she'd never show us: kindness! Do you think that will actually be repaid? She destroyed our friends, damn it!" Adam was tearing up. "What was going through your head when you saw her?"

Shinn looked towards the small glass jar on the table. "She doesn't even remember me anymore." A tear ran down his face.

"How…how dare you? HOW DARE YOU SHED A TEAR FOR THAT MONSTER?" Adam completed another punch to his face.

Shinn was unfazed. "She was so innocent then. How could she be a killer?"

"Tch!" Adam let go and turned away. "It's useless talking to you. All you do is cling to that damn prissy cell phone looking at all those dumb ass pictures like it's your entire world."

Shinn jolted up and gritted his teeth. He whispered through them. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying that your life must have really sucked if you need a cell phone to remind you of it!" Adam found himself on his bed half a second later. "Well, that got your attention, didn't it?" He sneered as he spat blood.

Shinn stood over him, his knuckles were white on his fist. "You shouldn't have said that. Take it back!"

"Like hell I will!" Adam pulled a left hook on the black haired boy, sending him backwards. "Face it, Shinn. Their bodies have long gone cold."

"YOU BASTARD!" Shinn lunged for Adam.

"Eh? Oh, Athrun-san!" Meyrin bumped into him in the hall. "Welcome back."

"Ah, arigato." He said back to her.

"Heading back to your quarters?"

"Iie. Though the captain has already spoken with him, I feel I have to give Shinn my two cents on his actions."

"We're heading to the same place then. I'm going to check in on Adam."

"Is he still worked up over the battle?"

"It sure seems that way."

As they turned down the quarterdeck hallway, they heard a lot of thumping and crashing of items. "What in Earth and PLANT?" Athrun asked no one in particular.

"I'm going to tear you to pieces!"

"Stay down like the traitorous dog you are!"

Those two phrases echoed through the hall, easily recognizable as Shinn's and Adam's voices. Meyrin and Athrun shared a look and dashed towards their room. The door slid open to reveal the two pilots locked together, throwing punches and twisting limbs. Athrun went forward and tore Shinn away from Adam. "What the hell are you two doing?"

"This is between him and me Athrun! Don't interfere!" Shinn retorted as he struggled against the man's grip.

As Adam tried to go after the boy, Meyrin dashed in front of him and spread her arms out. "Meyrin, step aside. This doesn't concern you."

"Like hell I will! You're fighting your best friend!"

"Best friend? HA! Why would I want to be friends with a traitor?"

"I'm not a traitor, damn it! I helped the innocent girl I met in Diocvia!" Shinn yelled from behind Athrun.

"Go tell that innocent bit to Falcon's parts. Oh that's right, you can't! Gaia sliced its arm off! It's at the bottom of the ocean by now! I have an idea, why don't you tell ALL of the FAMILIES of the PEOPLE that girl has KILLED!"

"You son of a….!"

Two resounding slaps echoed through the small chamber. Meyrin's and Athrun's hands were still splayed open as the boys turned back towards them in shock. Not even looking at each other, or planning what they said, Meyrin and Athrun spoke in unison. "Get over it! Fights between crew members have no place on a ship like this. You have a disagreement, take the dispute to the captain! Clear?"

"Do you feel better now that you've both beat each other up?" Meyrin watched each in turn. "Are you satisfied with it all? Did it even solve anything?"

Shinn and Adam just huffed and turned the opposite way. Athrun looked at both of them. "Get moving to the infirmary right now, at the same time. You will not fight in the halls. You will not talk to each other. You'll only think about what just happened here today. Got it?" Athrun opened the door and held it so. "If there is any conflict between the two of you, I will personally knock you out and drag you into sickbay. Now move!"

Meyrin moved aside as Adam stepped forward, emotionless. Shinn actually moved towards him, and Athrun prepared to jump between them again. Instead, he snatched up the glass jar on his nightstand and turned around, exiting. Meyrin followed them a few footsteps behind, but she stopped at the door next to Athrun. She sighed. "That was too close."

"Ah…."

Shinn and Adam walked into sickbay, where only the nurse was on duty. When she turned and saw Shinn, she thought he was there to visit Stellar. That is, until she saw their injuries. As they sat down on medical beds without a word, she wheeled a tray with first aid equipment over to Adam first. After treating his swollen cheek and bloody nose, she handed him an ice pack and moved on to his roommate. "Honestly, your right cheek gets beat up more than I've ever seen." She said as she wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Itte!" He winced. "Tell me about it. Four times in one day too. Just don't ask."

"Not my place to. Try not to open it up again today, or else we may need to get you stitches."

"Okay."

"Turn your head." She commanded.

The black haired boy obeyed, and he saw the blonde in the bed across from him. "How is she?"

"Sleeping peacefully. She seems to be in REM though, which we'd normally consider impossible with these types of sedatives we gave her." She handed him another ice pack. "All done."

"Arigato." He pressed the relief to his face and got up, walking to the girl in the bed. Adam watched on with a glare.

As the nurse left her post, Shinn's shadow touched the girl. "Neo…." She whispered.

"I can't believe that you don't remember. Is there nothing left of me in your mind?" He said in a low tone as he looked at the girl's gift, the opalescent shell. He knelt down next to her. "How could you, why were you Gaia's pilot?" He placed a hand on her forehead. Adam's cross look faded into an observing one. "Why were you in a lab like that one? How could they have done this to you?" As he caressed her cheek, tears welled in his eyes. "Why do you of all people have to be my enemy?"

The heat of his touch awoke not only her body, but her memory as well. She opened her eyes. "Shinn?" She whispered. Shinn's eyes reopened, his tears stopped by the stun of her calling his name. Adam straightened up too. "Shinn."

His breath disappeared for a second. "Stellar!"

"You came. To visit me, Shinn?" She looked at him with the eyes she had shown him when she gave him her precious gift.

Shinn smiled as his tears slowly started to well again. "Unh. I did, Stellar. For you." Adam's mouth opened slightly at the scene, but he didn't move. "You…you remember who I am?"

She nodded softly as she sighed. "It just took…a little time." Shinn's smile grew wide as a tear rolled down his cheek. "Shinn."

As Adam slowly got up and walked to the door, Shinn continued to speak. "I promised we'd see each other again."

"Shinn…why is your face so puffy?"

"Well um, that's…." The door closed behind Adam, and muted the sound. The nurse was standing outside leaning against the wall.

Adam took the opposite side of the door and slumped to the ground. "He and I are no different. I'm such a fool."

Deep, in ruins long lost to the rising seas, sat the ashitsuki vessel, motionless. Inside, in her quarters, the Strike Rouge's pilot stared at her ring as she lay in bed. She buried her face into her pillow to fight off the struggle in her heart and mind.

The Freedom's pilot watched some fish swim by from the observation deck. The door slid open behind him. "Kira." His love's soft voice reached his ears as the door closed.

"Lux." Kira turned towards her as she approached his side.

"So this is where you were."

"Unh."

At her feet, Pink-chan rolled to a stop and changed direction. "Haro! Haro! What the?"

"Do you remember when we were first here, alone like this?" Lacus said.

"Yes. We were in space. You were the one that stopped my tears that day."

"It was a beautiful view then. It still is now, isn't it?" She turned towards the sea of blue beyond her. "The Earth can be so mysterious."

"It definitely can." Kira agreed as Lacus rested her head on the boy's shoulder. He placed a hand on her slender waist.

The forever annoying pink Haro jumped up on the windowsill and boinked. "Thank you! Thank you!"

"Were you thinking about Athrun?" Lacus got to the point as Pink-chan rolled back and forth on the windowsill.

"Yes, but I was also thinking that Pink-chan was there too, our first meeting in this spot, doing mostly the same thing."

"That's true. But he was floating last time." Lacus giggled.

Kira sighed, as his mind returned to his best friend. "What Athrun said does make sense, but I don't know what is truth now because of it."

"Yes, that's true."

"If PLANT really is like Athrun says it is, we may be in the wrong."

Pink-chan hopped off the sill and rolled along the floor. "Don't say a silly thing!"

"And with the conflict with ORB…what are we supposed to do?"

"We don't know, do we?" His girlfriend sighed.

"We have far more questions than answers now. We need answers."

"What do you mean?" The metallic ball waved its arms.

"Then I'll go have a look." Lacus looked up through the water into the sky.

"Eh?"

"I'm going to head to PLANT and see for myself."

"What?" Kira gasped.

"To find the right path, we need clues."

"No way! You're not going to PLANT! You can't do that!" Kira paniced.

"It'll be fine, Kira. It's time I faced my demons too."

"Lux…."

"It's high time I did this. Please let me."

On the bridge, during his watch, Watfeld yawned and watched the news broadcasts. The announcer spoke matter of factly. "The Lacus Clyne morale tour, which started last month at Diocvia and went around the world to ZAFT bases, will end tomorrow, when Lacus-sama will return to PLANT. The last chance to see her will be where it all began, at Diocvia."

"Hmm?" Andrew smiled. One could almost see a lightbulb going on above his head. Of course, a mechanic was changing the fixtures in the ceiling, but that's not important.

"ZAFT's charismatic female singer, who, along side her father in the previous war, Siegel Clyne, has sided with Chairman Dullindal, now greatly pained by this new outbreak, and is hoping for a quick end to the conflict. She has provided unmatched comfort to those souls of the soldiers working under the harshest of conditions, far from their homes."

A black limousine pulled into the shuttle port lot of Diocvia. As the door was opened, Watfeld-san stepped out. Of course, no one would have known it was him, dressed in a suit and tie, with a large black wig and huge round sunglasses on. His personality was even worked up. "Yes, yes, yes, hai, hai, hai, thank you many times!" He waved to the people inside and out. "I'm counting on you all today! May I present to you all, our pop idol!"

The real Lacus stepped out of the limo, wearing a simple white and purple summer dress with a large pink bow on the front. She also played up her eccentricity. "Everyone! Hello and good afternoon to you all! Thank you all for your hard work!"

Everyone in the spaceport was smiling and talking, excitement at seeing the girl taking them over as they entered the building. A soldier in a black uniform, similar to Arthur's, approached them and saluted. "Lacus-sama, we should be the ones thanking you for all you've done! We thank you from the bottom of our hearts."

She saluted back in a more civilian and careless manner. "No, no. It's my pleasure to do things such as these. Everyone here deserves it, ne?"

"I hate to barge in like this, but we're in a bit of a hurry." Watfeld-agent stepped forward. "Could you possibly dash and pick up the shuttle preparation pace?"

"Uh, hai! But, your arrival has been much earlier than we had anticipated, so…."

"The reason for that is because we want to go back home! After a quick rest, Lacus-sama is going to be performing once again, so we're trying to extend her vacation time as much as possible, even if it's only by a few hours. So, could you be so kind as to help us out in that respect?"

"Um, yes, of course. It would be our pleasure. Please wait in the reception area until preparations are complete."

Pink-chan made its presence known. "That's not good!" Everyone ignored the damn thing.

A line formed next to the isle of chairs Lacus was sitting at, each with a blank piece of cardboard. The girl whipped out a black permanent marker and began signing. "Yes! Here you are!" She handed one back once it was finished.

"Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!" The soldier said.

"No problem. Next person please."

As her older friend watched as she signed at breakneck speeds, never making a mistake in her perfect cursive style in all of her signatures. She never stopped smiling. 'Well, at least she's still got it.' Watfeld thought to himself, still amazed at what she was doing.

Because of all the commotion inside, no one noticed a pink limo pull into the lot. The nasally voice of Mia's agent rang out as he exited the vehicle. "What's going on? Why isn't there anyone to greet us?"

Mia exited and pouted. "Geez, doesn't anyone want to see me or something?" They started going in.

"Pardon me, Lacus-sama!" The man in the black uniform saluted as Lacus finished a signature. "The shuttle is now ready to launch."

"What? What?" Mia marched in and looked around. "Is there even anyone here that cares?"

Two soldiers came out, talking about the signatures they had in their hands. One of them let out a surprised squawk when he saw the second girl, and so did the other once he noticed. "L…Lacus-sama?"

"What are you doing over here?"

"Eh?"

"Weren't you just signing autographs in the waiting area?"

"Eh? We just got here!"

"Then…who's that signing autographs?" He showed the girl.

"Let me see that!" She snatched the signature out of his hands. Her eyebrow twitched. The handwriting was a complete match with what she had practiced.

On the shuttle, Andrew pistolwhipped the pilot and co-pilot, knocking them out. The real Lacus winced and prayed for their quick recovery.

Along with her entourage, Mia ran to the control center, somehow avoiding knocking herself out. "Just what is going on around here?"

They brushed past the black-uniformed man. "Aahh!" He was taken off guard as he slammed himself against the wall. "Eh?" He let out once he realized who it was.

Her agent squirmed as she reached the tower. "Not good, that's the real one!"

"Excuse me?" Mia shot him a glare.

"Er…um, no, no, I mean, this is the real one, that one in the shuttle is a fake!"

The control tower scrambled. "Stop that shuttle! Abort the launch immediately!"

"Oops, sorry. Looks like you're a bit late on that point." Watfeld, now disguseless, answered back. "The real Lacus will be going now, right?"

"Hai!" Lacus said with a smile.

Mia stared at the screen with a cross look on her face and her knuckle on her lip, her hands in fists. The control tower continued issuing orders in front of her. "Launch the mobile suits at once! Stop that shuttle now!"

As the shuttle lifted into the air, GaZOOTs rolled out of hangars, firing large anti-aircraft missiles. The brand new purple Babi units took to the skies. They fired rifle and vulcan rounds at the ship. Some fired missiles from their batteries on the wings. "Tch!" Waltfeld cursed as the beam weapons just barely missed them. Lacus gasped as the Babi's locked targets and their missiles closed in. "Ascend, damn you, ascend!"

A mobile suit with eight azure wings fired its five beam weapons into the cloud of missiles, detonating them all in one shot. The shuttle was unharmed. The Babis transformed into mobile suit mode. "Where did that come from?" One of the pilots spoke to himself.

Coming from above and to the right, Freedom rocketed towards the units, drawing its beam saber. As it passed, two Babi's heads flew off. More fired their red and blue chest cannons at the ascending suit, but it barrel rolled twice each way before sending five more blasts into them, disabling, but not destroying them.

As Freedom continued its aerial assault on the new suits, the radio was alive with chatter in the tower, Mia looking on with the dumbest look on her face. "This guy is…agh!"

"This is impossible!"

"There's just now way…dwaaahhh!"

Kira descended into a hailstorm of GaZOOT bullets and blasts. Avoiding each projectile with ease, his hip cannons unfolded and lanced two orange beams into the area, putting up a smokescreen, effectively disabling their attack. The nuclear powered mobile suit flew straight for the control tower. Mia shrieked. Freedom gave them quite a send off as he broke the sound barrier right in front of their windows, breaking the glass. He went back up to the sky and caught up with the shuttle. He established a communications line with them. "Lacus!"

"Kira!"

"Good work, pal." Watfeld smiled. "Although sometimes our Songstress' plans take quite a bold turn most of the time, we seem to be okay now."

"You know I'm worried, Lacus. Please let me come with you."

"No, Kira, I can't." She flinched at his request, wanting him to be with her. "You must stay with the Archangel, my love. What would happen to Murrue-san and Cagalli-san if you came?"

"But…."

"I will be just fine, Kira. We have a plan. I promise you that I will return, to your side that is." Kira felt the ring necklace he wore under his flight suit. "So please…."

"Don't go all indecisive and foolish on us now, Kira-kun. I give you my word that I'll protect her with my very life." The older man of the group interrupted.

"Waltfeld-san…."

"Please believe in me, and if not, then believe in her."

The transmission was starting to break up. "Kira…." Lacus said in her soft voice.

"Very well. Please, I'm counting on you."

"Mmm." Andrew nodded.

"Please be really careful, Lux. No matter what, you know I lo…." The transmission cut out.

"Kira!" She watched the Gundam break away and slowly descend.

As Kira watched the shuttle ascend, he spoke to himself. "I wonder if she heard my last words." I Want to Go to a Place…that's serene.

Chapter 16 Preview: Just what emotions are the ones that convey justice? Just what do soldiers dream beyond their gunpoints? As a life hangs by a thread. Minerva is thrust into another battle. Danger saturates air and space. What will transpire in these moments in time? Next time on Old Friends Anew: Emotions Unrecognized. Disperse the waterspout of insanity, Archangel!


	16. Old Friends Anew Ch 16

Old Friends Anew

Phase-16: Emotions Unrecognized

In the black nothingness of space, two somethings approached another something. A recon type GINN, escorted by a space flight equipped Zaku, called out to base. "This is Purple-1. We've found the light signal at Yellow 22, Beta. Confirmed."

"Any movement?"

"None."

"Be careful, it may be a trap."

"Understood. Moving in."

The Zaku over heard the transmission. "Bravo acknowledges." He thrust slowly towards the derelict shuttle. "Think that's the shuttle that was hijacked?"

"Abandoning it out here? They sure pulled one over on us then. Any readings?"

"I'm getting zero movement, but two life signs."

"Let's check the interior."

"Roger."

Adam sat on his bed, looking down at nothing. He looked up when the door slid open and his roommate entered, carrying the glass vial from before. "Shinn…." The black-haired Coordinator said nothing and didn't even acknowledge his presence. He just placed the vial on his dresser and started taking off his uniform. Once he was in his underclothes, Adam tried speaking again. "Look, Shinn, about tod…." Adam's mouth was forced shut as Shinn hurled his dirty clothes at his head, sending the boy back onto his bed. When Adam got up, Shinn was already in the bathroom, and the shower was running. "Kuso."

When the two ZAFT pilots made it to the cockpit of the shuttle, they saw a black wig and a pair of black glasses, taped to the pilot and co-pilot, who were tied together, floating around the cockpit, with their mouths taped shut. "Hey, are you okay?" One of the pilots said, as if they could answer in that state.

The report quickly reached the desk of the Supreme Commander of PLANT, Chairman Dullindal. "I see…so what about those that stole the shuttle? Have you found them?"

"Currently, the Glasgow squad is searching the area with a fine toothed comb, but the trail may have gone cold."

The Chairman sighed. "Of all things to do, impersonating Lacus Clyne and stealing a shuttle. That type of move is outrageous, and downright insane."

"I agree, sir. Even so, the pilots and the people on the base all say that she looked and sounded just like the real thing."

"In any case, I want them found as quickly as possible. We don't know who's side they're on, or if it's the EAF's doing, but there is only one goal for such an action. That's to use the reputation and image of Lacus Clyne to jumble PLANT's people."

"Yes, sir."

"If she is used in such a way, imagine how much suffering her kind demeanor will be submitted to."

"Hai. It would cause us all the same for her to suffer as such."

"Get this situation under control before they start to move. If they cause a fuss, it might be too late. I'm counting on you."

"Yes, sir! I'll complete this mission with all my heart."

As he turned off the communication he leaned back in his seat and sighed. He stared at his crystalline chess pieces in front of him. "But, it may be to our advantage if the queen and king are away from each other. Lacus Clyne… and also…." He picked up the opponent's king. "Kira Yamato!" Hate dripped from his voice as he slammed the piece back into position, causing a chip of the crystal to fly off.

Inside an old battlefield, riddled with dead and broken mobile suits floating as space debris now, an abandoned asteroid base sat unmoving. Upon a very close look, this rocky structure was only a façade, as a pink bridge with a white crest stuck out at one point to monitor the outside. Inside that bridge, the doors opened to admit Lacus Clyne and Andrew Watfeld. The people in ZAFT uniform there stood up, and redhead smiled with great glee. "Daicho! Lacus-sama!"

"Yo, DaCosta-kun!" Andrew floated forward.

"It's been a long while, hasn't it everyone? It's so good to see you all well." Lacus said as she floated into her captain's seat.

"Yes it has. We're all relieved to see you alive and well."

"Oy oy, did you think we'd bite it that easily?" Andrew said again.

"Of course not, Daicho." DaCosta laughed as the older man took his seat in front of Lacus. Even so, he saluted. "Welcome back to your ship, Lacus-sama. I would ask that you assume command once again."

"Arigato." She saluted back. "Give me a situation report on the Eternal."

Back in Diocvia's spaceport, Mia and her agents were waiting in a small room. As her agent paced, Mia watched her little red Haro roll along the sofa she was sitting on. Fed up with her little toy, as we all are, she stood up, a frown on her forcefully bright face. "Ooohh, I can't take this. Can't I go out and sign autographs at least? That always makes me feel better, and I'm getting so bored!"

Her agent stopped pacing and pulled his head close to her ear. He whispered into it with his nasally voice. "You know we can't do that. If someone keeps their copy of the other's autograph, and compares it to yours…."

"I practiced for an entire year, damn it! No one will be able to tell the difference!"

"To the normal human eye, no. But if someone is a specialist, or takes it to a specialist, they would easily be able to identify the differences. If they did, then there would be no more Lacus, Dullindal's Morale Officer, and only Mi…."

She slapped him hard. "I told you never to say that name in my presence! I am Lacus Clyne!" Her exasperated heavy breathing slowed, and the girl plopped down into the sofa once again, her Haro just barely rolling out of the way in time before she sat on it. She pointed to her other agent, unnoticed as he held a suitcase closely, trying to act like he wasn't there. "Get me a soda and an ice pack, I have a headache." As she looked to the glass-wearing agent holding his cheek, she sighed. "Make it two ice packs."

As the sun began to set over the EAF port, also occupied by ORB, Sting and Auel were playing one-on-one on the deck of the ship. Auel's dribbling loud on the metal surface it impacted on. "Heh. Here we go!" He moved towards the net.

"Go where?" Sting blocked him as the blue-haired boy turned around to keep the ball from being stolen. "Like I'd let you!"

Auel did a fakeout and a roll, breaking away from the blocking boy. "Ha! Going here!" He made the jump. "It's up!" The ball went into the hoop. "And it's good!" Abyss's pilot hit the floor. "A slam dunk ladies and gentlemen. Give it up for Auel Nieder!" He cupped his hands over his mouth. "Haaaaaaaahhhh! Haaaaaaaahhh!"

"Oy…." Sting had the ball, dribbling at the foul line. "Quit clowning, cause this game is just getting started."

Inside his sealed room, Neo had a videophone conversation with his boss, a very nerve-racking situation. "You know I'm not the kind of person to gripe about things that have already passed," Djibril spoke as Neo tapped the glass his pet rainbow fish swam in. "But I won't accept that many successive failures either."

"Yes, sir."

"Though we lost the Extended laboratory, there was nothing that could have been done about that. Our enemy is desperate, after all. You can't expect things to go perfectly as you see them. I'm also aware of that. But our ultimate goal must be reached. The orders I give are all necessary. We don't do this sort of thing out of fun." He petted his black cat.

"Yes, I know that quite well, sir."

"If you know that, then would you please hurry up with the task I assigned you and complete it? If you don't, our schedule will be taken completely off." Djibril looked at the Destroy Gundam's schematics. "Minerva has been marked as ZAFT's messenger of justice by those anti-EAF. They've become heroes. Really, it's a Coordinator vessel. The only reason for that is because they continue to win!"

"I wonder…do you really think that's the reason behind it?"

Djibril sent a cross look to Neo's side of the screen. "All citizens are fools. Once something happens, they forget about the past and welcome whatever comes their way that feels right at the time."

"Well with that…I suppose that's true."

"How can they be tricked so easily? Do they really think that Coordinators would lend serious aid to us Naturals? There's no way they would! They'll only turn against us again in the near future. That's why that ship is a serious danger! It's a problem to leave it go without a leash anymore. This time for sure, Neo, sink them! Make sure the bottom of the ocean is their grave. Don't forget that you're there for that sole purpose."

"Yes, I'll keep that thought with me." Neo sighed as the transmission blinked out.

At the same time, in Port Talquis, Minerva was still under repairs. In the captain's chambers, Lunamaria handed Talia a folder. "Here is what you asked for. I'm sorry for the delay in the report."

"I don't mind. It's been hell around here anyway. Even if you had given it to me, I wouldn't have had time to look at it." She opened the folder. Inside it was a single disk, and some photographs. "I'm sorry I had you and Adam go out as spies. Speaking of which, where is Adam and his report?"

"Um, about that…." Luna rubbed the back of her head. "I had Adam submit his report to me since it would be his first time submitting it. I'll be honest, it's junk. He has absolutely no talent at writing reports. I took it upon myself to combine his report into mine. I hope you don't mind."

"I don't at all. But I wish you had brought him with you. This is your debriefing after all."

"I apologize. Do you wish me to get him? I believe he is in his quarters. He did say something about turning in early."

"Iie, best not to wake him after that brawl he was in."

"You know about…."

"I hear all, see all, and know all that goes on in this ship, Lunamaria. Remember that."

"H…hai!"

"Anyway, I still feel I should apologize for making you do that."

"Iie. Captain, you're a part of FAITH too. I think I can understand your orders." The Captain smiled softly at this. "But there are a few things I'm worried about…."

"Eh?"

"Could you allow me to ask a few questions?"

"For any case like this, I suppose it raises a lot of questions. Go ahead, and I'll answer as much as I can."

"Arigato gozaimasu." Luna bowed slightly. "Everyone on the ship besides Adam knows Athrun Zala fought alongside the Archangel in the last war, abandoning ZAFT, as they abandoned the Earth Alliance."

"Yes, that's true. I suppose we'll also have to fill Adam in on that aspect too. Athrun isn't keeping the fact hidden himself anyway."

"But, in spite of saying and knowing that, Chairman Dullindal let him re-enlist and assigned him to FAITH."

"Yes…."

"But…does that mean he has some authority? Or perhaps, they want to keep an eye on him? We've all been following him because of the FAITH status and the Chairman's trust in him, but if there's something else…."

"That isn't correct, Lunamaria." The captain interrupted. "But I'm not surprised that you'd come to that conclusion. I'm pretty sure his actions only concerned the Archangel this time. He's an honorable man, and he has a strong sense of justice. I have no doubt about that. A spy or a betrayer? I don't think or expect him to be as such. No one thinks of him like that, and neither should you."

"Ah…."

"But this time, the question is about the Archangel." At this word, Luna's eyes went wide. "Yes it's true that the war went mad, and that ship fought at the side of Lacus Clyne against both sides to end the war. But what about this situation? When ORB was about to join the EAF, they kidnapped their leader without any warning. And you know what happened last week…."

"Hai…." Luna returned dejectedly.

"I don't know what they're thinking this time around, or what their objective is. Athrun was trying to find out exactly that."

"I see…."

"At least, that's what he told me when he left the ship. But I know he still believes in ORB and the Archangel. This war is tough on him. Really, he doesn't want to fight against them." Luna sighed as Gladys continued. "So please think of it this way. Okay?"

"Uh…hai!" Luna smiled, relieved. "In that case, I'll just…."

"Anyway, thank you for your hard work. The case ends here, understand that?"

"Hai!"

"Forget the details you gained the moment you step out that door." Luna shot up straight as a certain memory came to the forefront.

"_Then what about that other Lacus Clyne?"_

"What is it? Is there something else you need?" The captain noticed her reaction.

"_Just who is it that's in PLANT singing? I know it's not my Lacus. And why would my Lacus be the target of an assassination by a group of Coordinators?"_

"Lu-na-ma-ri-a?" Talia said slowly and loudly, rousing the girl from her thoughtful state. "Is something wrong?"

"Eh…um…iie. It's nothing, just ate something bad at lunch is all." Gladys didn't question that statement. "Rest assured I will do what you have ordered. Should I tell Adam the same?"

"No thank you. I'll talk to him myself."

"Well, in that case, I will take my leave. Please excuse me." She saluted and walked out the door. Once the door closed, Lunamaria sighed heavily.

Looking at the pictures Lunamaria provided for her, Talia sighed heavily.

Staring at his computer, and the report his spies provided on the Destroy Gundam, Dullindal sighed heavily.

"Grrrrreeeeeeaaaaaahhhhhhh!" Adam screamed as he sat up, awakening from his nightmare. His hands gripped his sheets tightly as he caught his breath. Sweat dripped down his face. Shinn just watched him from the opposite end of the dark room in amazement. "Son of a…!" Adam slammed his head back into the pillow. "At this rate…. Why have they gotten worse?" It was the last thing he said before he fell asleep again.

Once he was nearly sure that the boy was asleep, Shinn breathed again. "That scream…it was just like mine after…." He gripped the cell phone hard.

The next morning, Shinn decided to pay a visit to Stellar. Inside the infirmary, things were in a panic. Stellar was strapped to the bed, trembling and sweating with pain. "Get me that data list from when we checked her body-chemistry! Hurry!" The doctor commanded.

"One second, I'll bring it up." The nurse said quickly as she went to the computer.

Shinn entered the room. "Screw it. Put her on oxygen."

Shinn gasped and rushed forward, to her side as the mask was slipped over her face. "Stellar! What the hell is happening?"

"Stay out of our way." The doctor warned, and Shinn didn't budge. "We don't have a clue either."

"Eh?"

Stellar squeaked and let out loud gasps. "Neo…."

"Next time pay attention. I told you that her body was affected by many different factors and drugs that I have no clue what they do."

"Wha?" Shinn stood up straight. "B…but…."

"It looks as if her body can't do its normal functions if you can't administer a certain chemical within a timeframe."

"What? Are you saying that she's going through a withdrawl?"

"I don't know. Whatever it is, or why she becomes like this is a mystery to me. At the worst, this will kill her."

"No way…it can't be…."

Stellar opened her trembling eyes. "Shinn…." She tried reaching out to him, but her body was still strapped down.

He grasped her hand. "Stellar…."

"No…I can't…I'm scared Shinn…mamoru…. Please…."

Shinn gasped and his eyes filled with tears. The doctor continued on without noticing their interaction. "Naturals are far ahead of us when it comes to chemicals like these. Honestly…"

As another jolt of pain forced her eyes shut, Shinn cradled her. "Stellar!"

"Eh? She's coming with us?" Arthur looked towards the captain, stunned.

"Yes, our orders are to transport her and the data we took from the laboratory." She said as she typed into her panel in her capain's chair.

"Um…but the infirmary reports that she's not really doing well. Do you think it's safe for her to travel?"

"I also brought that up and what they said was, 'All the more reason to get her to a more appropriate location, ne?'"

"Ah, y…yes." With that, Minerva left port.

Unbenounced to Minerva, and unfortunately to it as well, the ORB and EAF forces were also on the move. As the Astray and Murasame were lined up on the flagship's deck, the meeting started in the bridge. "To be honest, the strategy is rather simple." Neo pointed to the map table.

Todoka reviewed his work. "But are you sure the outcome will go well?" The others turned to him. "How trustworthy is that information? An ambush is no problem to set up, but if the Minerva takes…."

"Oy oy oy!" Yuuna interrupted. "That's enough questioning our friend here." The captain turned towards him. "No one in the military would move just on guesswork alone. Minerva WILL be going to Gibraltar, and they WILL be using this path. Not only that, but they just left port." The captain and the first officer gasped.

"Hmm." Neo let out as he smiled.

"The Colonel and I have already gotten that fact confirmed. All you have to do is worry about what happens from now on."

"Right as usual Yuuna-sama." Neo's normal shower of undeserved and misdirected praise aimed itself to the annoying man. "You're decision making skills are as quick as ever. ORB is so lucky to have a leader like yourself at the helm."

"No, no. This is nothing at all."

"I know this is a tough operation, but it must be carried out."

"And of course, the ORB military can and will do it!" Yuuna said proudly.

The first officer was rather worried. "But if things go like this, our forces will…."

"If we sink Minerva, it will speak to the world how powerful we truly are!" Both Todoka and his second gritted their teeth. Yuuna taunted them. "You can do this, right?"

Todoka calmed himself and spoke with a straight face. "We do our duty as ordered. Thus is the life of a soldier." The second in command turned away in disgust and balled his fist at his side.

"Well then, that's why I'm counting on you."

"Yes, sir." Both officers said in unison.

Enjoying the stress, Neo added another wrench into the mix. "Well, if that odd ship comes on to the scene again, which I doubt it will," Yuuna let out a surprised peep, and the others turned with surprised looks, "If events turn out the same, will you be okay? Wasn't it you who said that that ship was your enemy and the one who declared herself as the Representative is a fake, Yuuna-sama?"

Yuuna let out a small grunt as he gritted his teeth. "Th…that's correct!"

"Yuuna-sama!" The first officer felt the need.

Yuuna grasped at mental straws as his logic started to fail. "Anything that would try such a trick to confuse us shall be labeled nothing other than an enemy! Isn't that right, Todoka-san? That's why you fired on them, as ordered!"

"Hai." The man said dejectedly.

His second took a step back, "Todoka-san!"

"Well, if that's the way it will go, I'll take my leave." Neo narrowed his gaze behind his mask.

"Hmph!" Yuuna turned away from his officers.

Deep under the sea, a blue, white and black mobile suit approached the ruins where the Archangel was hidden. In the cockpit, a familiar turquoise-eyed teen smiled next to the pilot. Kira smiled back at her. "Never seen it from the outside like this, have you?"

"Nope, it's really a beautiful ship."

"And all our friends are waiting. Look." The starboard "leg" of the ship opened up to prepare for docking.

Once the mobile suit of legend was in the docking bay and the two occupants started lowering the dismounting platform, Miriallia waved to one person down below, the chief mechanic of the crew. "Murdock-san!"

"Yo there, little girl." He said as he approached. "Now how come, I say, how come you're around here? You're not going to find a good boyfriend around this place."

"Huh? Okay, that's just rude. It doesn't matter, anyone who gets in my way or tells me what to do, I'll dump him faster than you can say 'Archangel, hashin!'"

"Wah-how! Same as I remember!"

"Miriallia." Kira got her attention to remind her.

"Ah, oh yeah. Either way, it's good to be back!" She and the mechanic slapped hands.

"Oh yeah, glad to have you, little girl."

On the bridge of the same ship, Cagalli flinched. "ORB has been deployed to Kurata?"

"That can only mean they plan on a second attack on Minerva." Murrue said to the girl.

"Yes, even though it's not confirmed, Terminal is saying it's most likely." The communications officer said.

"I guess they're planning for Minerva to head to Gibraltar." The navi added his thoughts on the subject, as all bridge officers were welcome to do. "The EAF is taking it up a notch."

Kira and Miriallia entered at the last comment. "Is something wrong?" Kira asked quickly.

Everything stopped at the sight of the person next to him. "Miriallia-san!" The captain was overjoyed.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"You been good?" The man with glasses asked. "How's Elsman?"

"Dumped out like yesterday's trash." They both chuckled at it. Cagalli got an unknown beeping on her screen. Noticing that she didn't know what to do, Miriallia stooped over her and punched a few buttons. "Incoming coded message. 'Minerva has left the Sea of Marmara and is going southwards.'"

"Eh?" Everyone gasped.

"So then it's unavoidable now." Ramius looked away. "ORB and Minerva will engage each other at Kurata, just like before."

During his lunch break, Athrun stared down at his meal in depressed silence. He didn't feel like eating today, and knowing the mess hall's food, it was a good thing. Though the presentation was top notch, the taste had much to be desired, like taste buds reacting to it. Even so, with all that had happened with Kira, Cagalli, and the lab, he didn't feel like eating.

Lunamaria, on her lunch break, entered the room. She noticed Athrun, but he didn't notice her, to her relief. She just stood at the door staring at him in silence, not wanting to face him at the moment. Not wanting to face him for a long while actually, the guilt overtaking her.

Shinn sat in his flight suit, on his watch. Adam came in with a soda and a sandwich, not letting duties get in the way of his lunch. When he saw the boy sitting there with a pained look on his face, Adam swallowed the morsel in his mouth. He sat down at his normal seat and watched Shinn carefully. He sighed and began to speak. "Look, Shinn, about yesterday…."

"She's going through some kind of withdrawl, and a very severe one. The doc says the worst case scenario is quite possible. You'll get your wish Adam, she'll die."

"I…Shinn…I…."

A Murasame equipped with a large radar dish sent data back to the main fleet. "Ship detected! Number: One!"

"Hmm?" Todoka and his first officer flinched as they knew what it would be.

"Distance: 60! Direction: 11 o'clock!"

"Soyin, taisen youui. I repeat, all hands, prepare for combat." The general announcement was made.

"Okay, let's begin!" Neo leaned forward on the JP Jones bridge.

As the buzzers sounded, the two EAF pilots scrambled. As Auel passed the empty stall of the hangar, he stopped and looked back. "Uh?"

"What is it?" Sting noticed him not moving.

"Oh, well, its just…wasn't there a girl?"

"Huh?"

On Minerva's bridge, the sensor officer picked up something disturbing. "Ahead, ships located!"

"Eh?" Gladys leaned forward.

"What did you say?" Arthur asked in his easily stunned voice.

"Carriers: one. Escort vessels: three. They're ORB."

"What about the EAF's carrier or Bogey-1?"

"Confirmation of presence is impossible at this time."

"Look for it especially. Hurry and find it. No way they'd leave ORB unattended."

"Hai!"

"Shield the bridge! Condition Red declared!" The captain said.

"Hai!" Meyrin quickly turned back to her station as the bridge began to sink. "Condition Red declared! Condition Red declared!" Buzzers rang out in all corners of the ship, even the bathrooms. "Pilots stand by in their units!"

Adam never got the chance to finish his statement as the announcement reached his ears. "The enemy, now? ORB?"

"Shit! Of all the times! Let's move!" Shinn got up and dashed out the door.

Athrun was startled out of his daze as he was about to put a spoonful of soup into his mouth. He put it down and got up. The FAITH officer noticed Lunamaria as she quickly turned away and rushed towards the lockers. He soon was on his way as well. A fly landed next to his soup and took a sip. It instantly keeled over, dead.

As the alarms yelled out, the suffering Stellar slept sweatily in her stuffy smock.

Auel continued to look behind him as he went through his systems check. "Why to I keep getting the feeling I'm forgetting something important?"

"Heh. So just what is this important thing?" Sting taunted over the radio.

"I wouldn't be saying that if I could remember, now would I? Moron!"

"Second and fourth squads, move to launch standby positions." The order was given to the ORB forces on the carrier. Astrays and Murasames took to the skies quickly. "First, third, and fifth squads, launching complete!"

"Launch Savior, Impulse, and Falcon. Blast Module and Asteroid cone." Talia commanded. "We'll need the heavy artillery."

"Hai!"

"30 degrees star! Head east!"

As Shinn and Adam raced to their units, Meyrin's voice echoed through the hangar. "Impulse, Falcon, Savior, launch immediately! Opening Falcon equipment hatch. Asteroid selected." The heavy weapons cone slid out to Falcon and locked into place. "Connection confirmed. Opening Silhouette Hangar Three. Blast Flyer set into position!"

"Distance to target: 40. In range of the main cannons."

Todoka did his duty. "Have any ships been sortied from Minerva?"

"None as of yet!"

"Yosh! We've already won!" Yuuna cried in victory. "Arm the Armor Piercing Shrapnel Shower Shells!"

"Artillery personnel, simultaneous volley of AP triple S! Tei!" Four bullets erupted from the massive cannons.

"Incoming artillery rounds!"

"Eh?" Arthur blinked.

"Halt mobile suit launch! Evade and use countermeasures! Shoot them down!" The captain ordered quickly.

The CWIS machine guns did their duty and attacked the deadly projectiles. Little did they know that in doing so, they became even deadlier smaller projectiles. The explosion triggered internal shrapnel to hail down upon the attacking ship, riddling its gray hull with damaging dents and holes. The glass of the upper bridge shattered, and the hailstorm from hell hammered away at the armor protecting the lower bridge. The entire ship was shaking like mad.

"Captain! The upper armor plate has been damaged to the second layer!"

Arthur did something he rarely did, he swore. "Kuso! Armor Piercing Shrapnel Shower Shells!"

"Damage controls on all vital systems. Keep us afloat! Turn 10 more degrees star!"

The smoking ship was like a signal flare to the others. "Contact with three more ORB vessels! Number: three!"

"Eh!" Both the captain and the XO were taken off guard.

"Yosh! Let's move!" Babai, a Murasame squad commander, one who had also fought Athrun off the coast of ORB, turned his ship to attack.

"ORB Mobile suits detected at 2 o'clock. Murasame. Number: Nine." Meyrin became even more tense.

"They've got us boxed in! Send out Shinn, Athrun, and Adam right now! Aim Tristan and Isolde to the portside enemy! That's where we'll make our break!"

"Hai!"

"The carrier has to be around here! Find it and fast!"

"Hai!"

Neo looked on from behind his mask. "Even though this can't avenge you, Stellar, that ship will be sunk today!"

"Sting Oakley, Chaos, hashin salu!" The green Gundam took to the air.

"Auel Neider, Abyss, deluyo!" His boosters gave him a jump and enough time to transform before hitting the water.

"Shinn Asuka, Core Splendor, ikkimas!" His little blue jet gunned its engines and was out of there. The large green and red Blast Silhouette gunned its single forward thrusting engine and catapulted forward. The Chest Flyer and Leg Flyers took off in succession after that.

"Athrun Zala, Savior, hashin salu!" His red mobile suit barrel rolled its way out of the damaged starboard hatch.

"Adam Cancho, Falcon, kissing the sky!" The gray jet punched its way out the door with its brand new cone.

Shinn stayed close to the water's surface for ease after the MS assembled, so Adam did something different and twirled around his forming suit. Core Splendor folded its wings in and attached to the Leg Flyer. Its legs extended. Falcon opened the leg hatch and extended the legs as the cockpit receded into its frame. The Chest Flyer locked on from above and the arms spread out, holding the shield and beam rifle. The brown MS's wings pulled back as the arms extended. The nose popped off and split into two. The Blast Module's guidance pod jettisoned and barrel rolled away as the hulking green object laser-guided itself into the shoulders of Impulse. The cone split in two and attached to the shoulders of the M3 ORB prototype. A thick cable clicked together between the two halves behind its back as the wings split in two. Falcon's blue and brown phase shift armor shimmered as its telescopic multi-phasic beam cannon extended from its right side shield. Impulse's color scheme changed to black and blue as the armor enveloped it. Shinn gunned the engines and surfed the water, as the module was too heavy to fly.

"Damn it!" Cagalli pounded her fist into her station, indecisive.

"Let's get going!" Kira looked up, resolute. Everyone looked at him in disbelief. "Didn't Lacus say it too, Cagalli? First you must decide."

The line triggered her memory of the hot tub. "'Then you have to follow through, no matter what the decision.' Kira…were you peeking into the girl's bath?"

Kira tilted slightly before he righted himself and got serious again. "Ahem, no. But that's the reason why you need to go. Isn't that right?"

The captain took her seat and gave a nod to the navigator. He quickly took his seat. "Archangel, preparing for launch!"

"Uh!" Cagalli was once again stunned.

Milly put her hand on her blond friend's shoulder. "Step aside."

"Eh?"

"There are other things you need to do, right? I think I'll sit here again."

"Miriallia."

"It's nice to have you back in that chair again, Miriallia-san, but are you sure?" Murrue turned towards her. "I know that the scars from…."

"Yes! The reason I wanted to be a photographer was to see the world I love. But currently that's all in jeopardy. That's why I'm back, protecting those I love." She winked.

"Is that so? Arigato, Milly!"

"Here we go!" Auel breached the surface of the water, transforming into MS and sending all seven of its beams towards Impulse.

The skidding MS dodged the attack and reciprocated with two pink and blue blasts from the small ends of the module and the orange rail guns on its shoulders. "Tch!" Shinn hissed as the blue beast dove back into the water.

In the air, Athrun and Sting were locked in a life and death battle of shots that would never seem to connect with each other. "Tehh!" They grunted as they spiraled around each other.

As Murasame's headed towards Minerva, Adam came up at them from below. Falcon grabbed his weapon with both hands and fired its pink and blue beam into the attack run, taking out two ships and clipping a third. "No more second-guessing this time. You're my enemy once again!" He opened his missile hatch on the left shoulder and foxed two to finish off the third suit.

"Sir! The Falcon!" One of the ORB bridge hands called.

"What about that traitorous mobile suit?" Yuuna waved him off relaxedly.

"It's got a new heat signature than before! One of our pilots have gotten a visual." He put it up on his screen.

"Just how many upgrades does that thing have? Tell our squads to make sure that thing goes down!" Yuuna pounded his fist into his armrest.

"Hai!"

Ray and Lunamaria launched their Zakus and took up defense positions on Minerva's hull. At the same time, not too far away, a legendary legged ship rose from the depths of the ocean. The launch bay doors opened once all was clear. Bee, bee, bee, boooooooo. "Cagalli Yula Athha, Strike Rouge, deluzo!" Cagalli's personal mobile suit was sent out. As the Aile pack stretched its wings, the Gundam's longer lasting phase shift armor shifted into the red spectrum.

"Kira Yamato, Freedom, ikkimas!" The nuclear powered Gundam launched and spread its eight azure wings as it prepared for the coming battle.

I Wanna Go To A Place…that we can be free.

Chapter 17 Preview: As set feelings divide the lines of a three sided battle, time continues to tick towards the end of a chaotic battle. Cones, Silhouettes, SEEDs, deaths, these also come in threes. What will those fighting risk to protect that which they hold most dear? Next time on Old Friends Anew: Collapse. Dash through the debris of doubt, Meyrin!


	17. Old Friends Anew Ch 17

Old Friends Anew

Phase-17: Collapse

As mass chaos ensued on the oceanic battlefield, one voice on the battleship Minerva was acknowledged for the moment. "Tristan, Isolde, TEI!" The three cannons fired simultaneously launching shells into the waters in front of an approaching ORB fleet. The green beams of the Tristan cannons were easily dodged by the speedy escort vessels. All the while CWIS machine guns and Murasame, Astray, and Windam suits exchanged fire. A Murasame that failed to evade was cut to ribbons before its battery exploded in orange flames. Another was forced to skid into the ocean below, tearing it to shreds.

"The ORB fleet approaching from 9 o'clock is still proceeding forward." The radar operator was trying to keep up with all the readings from the massive amounts of mobile suits and ships.

As the said fleet launched a salvo of missiles, Talia Gladys leaned forward in her seat, attempting to remain as calm as possible. "Arthur, arm anti-ship missiles. Get Luna and Ray to coat the skies with a barrage. Get Adam in on it too."

"Hai!"

As missiles were being shot down from the rear by Ray and the CWIS, the Minerva was effectively boxed in. Luna and Adam combined their buster cannons' attacks to trap the enemy in a web of beam energy, while the captain analyzed the war map on the screen above her. "They're trying to corner us at Kurata. Not good." She sighed. "If we try to dodge one fleet, we'll catch the other's fire." Ray added his missiles into the entrapment in the sky, taking out the two Murasame foolish enough to pass through the center of the beam spray. "Falling back isn't an option now. We have no choice but to force our way through."

Blast Impulse's pack flipped towards the thinner ends, and two pink and blue beams tore through a Murasame's wings. It was destroyed less than a second later. With Shinn's attention diverted, Auel's Abyss spun up to the surface and transformed into mobile suit form. "Heh! So green's your color of choice today? Here, have some green yourself!" His shoulder shields opened up and fired six blaster beams towards the mobile suit. Shinn's alarms went off, and once he saw the beams on a collision course, he gunned the throttle and skirted away from them articulately. His counterattack shot just high of the blue mobile suit as it transformed back into its deadly submarine. As it plunged into the water, the pilot with hair that matched his ship looked behind him at the green, black, and white suit on the surface. "Yeah, like that will work!"

The blast pack's shoulder cannons fired two pairs of two orange beams into the water, which were quickly dodged by the dangerous vessel. "That pilot…" Shinn's thoughts dwelled on the past for a moment, recalling the lab, and Stellar. "I knew it. Those guys are EAF Extended!"

"I'm getting really sick of seeing that ugly mug of yours, damn it!" Auel spun to the surface and fired all seven of Abyss's weapons at Impulse. Shinn flipped around and shut down his engines. Impulse touched the water and slowed, the blasts just barely going over its metallic head. With the danger cleared, the engines fired up again and the heavy weapons machine broke to the surface once again. Auel drew his short scythe, "Today for sure, you'll die!" As the blue enemy drove towards him, Shinn whipped out his beam trident. Their weapons clashed in a shower of sparks.

The midair battle was heating up as well, as a Murasame jet spun its brown form into a mobile suit and fired a shot at Savior. After it bounced of his shield, Athrun fired his beam rifle at the aggressor, cutting straight through the blaster and detonating it. Another came from behind, attempting to shoot down the red Gundam with yellow trim, but its speed was too high. Within an instant, it was behind the brown Murasame and it shot out a wing. When the pilot changed the suit's modes to avoid plummeting into the ocean, Savior came up to it with its beam saber drawn. The pilot screamed as the beam rifle and arm came off, scraps of warped metal flying everywhere. _"When you really look, it's not just against ORB. The ones lost in battle won't come back."_ Athrun's mind was racing, playing his discussion with his best friend through his mind. He snapped out of his mindset quickly as a Murasame started tailing him.

Savior's barrel rolling around the hot metal projectiles that the brown jet fired helped Chaos get a bearing on Athrun. "Oy, oy, oy! Are you even awake?" Sting fired a shot from his beam rifle, and Athrun dodged before it could hit.

The strain of such a tight turn sent Athrun's mind into thoughts about the past again. _"Then who do you want to fight?"_ It was the last conversation he had with Heine Westenfluss.

"Quit running away and fight!" Sting fired blaster and bullets at the rolling suit, distracted by the Murasame, but still was able to dodge the deadly green Gundam.

As Chaos went in formation with the Murasame, chasing Athrun, the blue-haired boy was constantly looking at his rear camera and sensors. His mind was still in the past though. _"Please understand that. Otherwise…you're going to wind up dead."_ Athrun hissed, as his brain switched trains. _"I don't want to fight. I don't want to be made to fight."_ "Damn it!" He hissed, his head hurting from all the conflicting arguments. Another barrel roll transformed Savior into mobile suit mode. It whipped around and fired its blaster three times, while blocking a machine gun's shot with his shield.

Adam's respective battle was doing no better. Positioned above the Minerva, in the spot that the CWIS couldn't cover, Falcon was a prime target. Ever since the order was given to the Murasame squads to shoot it down as a secondary target, most of the fire was concentrated on him. "Shit! Not my day!" His mobile suit opened its left shoulder casing and fired four missiles into the air. One of them hit a Murasame suit in the head, the explosion traveling down through the chest into the cockpit. The pilot was roasted, and the suit plunged into the ocean. The other three self-detonated, spreading a smokescreen of fire in a circular pattern. As more mobile suits flew behind the cloud of smoke to use for cover, Adam gripped his telescopic cannon with both handles. After forcing back the safety lock, he fired the blast into the cloud, sending three suits into oblivion. A green blast passed over Falcon's shoulder. "Kuso!" Adam hissed as he observed four Astray were coming in from the opposite side. His mobile suit spun vertically, changing back into its jet form. Once completely established, Falcon leveled towards the formation and engaged the beam sabers on its wings. "My own country is attacking me. Heh, 'with friends like these…' they always say. Guess Minerva is my home now. I'll defend that home!" His engine gunned as he charged the group, doing a roll and scattering missiles into the air.

Not only were Murasame and Astray engaged, but Windam suits from the EAF. The CWIS firing computers were overwhelmed by all the radar shadows. One Windam that was in the wrong place at the wrong time was riddled full of holes, its power source exploding soon after. A Murasame was next to fall as it was attempting to rendezvous with its squadron for another attack run. As Ray reloaded his beam rifle's cartridge rounds, the Isolde cannons launched volleys at the escort ships off of their starboard bow. Those ships that were damaged reported to the control center on the carrier's bridge. "Sokowadatsumi's missile launchers have been disabled. Attempting repairs."

"Tell her to fall back. Send Kuramitsuha to the front to take up the slack."

"The target has changed course. Correction to mark 2-4-0."

Yuuna was dissatisfied with the results. "Hey! Why aren't we sending the Second Battle Group farther ahead? Corner them in until they can't move a muscle!"

Todoka ignored the order and spoke forward. "Minerva can still use most of its weapons. Our forces will be damaged if we do that carelessly."

"Just what the hell are the Murasame squads doing? They haven't even shot down that pesky fly of a turncoat suit! They should just hurry it up and…."

"This isn't one of those war games that you play so much!" Todoka snapped at him. "This is a real battle, where we adapt to the situations as they come! It won't always go the way you plan!"

Hot metal, artillery shells, pieces of mobile suits, all littered the sky and sea as the outnumbered Minerva put forth its most valiant effort. The John Paul Jones looked on from behind the ORB fleet, and its commanding officer, Colonel Neo Lorrnoke. "Well, this is turning out to be quite entertaining."

Squadron Commander Babai formed up with his wing of Murasame. "Ignore their mobile suits. Just leave them to the EAF. Minerva is our main target!"

"Babai, sir!"

"If it sinks, all this will be over!"

"Yes, sir!" The entire squad said as they tilted to port, swooping down for their attack run.

Meyrin's screen was on the alert. "Murasame: twelve. Approaching from starboard aft high!"

"Keep them from closing!" The captain barked orders. "Shoot them out of the sky!"

"Hai!"

The turrets turned towards the approaching jets. They dove into the line of fire, dodging the hot metal shrapnel letting out a battle cry as they turned closer. "Eeeehhh!" Lunamaria's red Zaku turned her buster to bear. Ray's silent anger was apparent on his face as he tried to get out as many shots from his blaster as possible.

The Murasame squad foxed all of their missiles under their wings. In breaking off the attack run, two were pierced by bullets as they pulled up. The side of the ship was caught in a massive explosion. What was left of the main bridge was damaged in the extreme, and the shielded bridge was rattled so much that Arthur almost fell out of his chair. "Minerva!" Athrun looked behind to find the smoldering ship.

The Blaze Zaku Phantom was caught in the explosion, and was now missing a left arm and shield. Ray played with the controls and tried to restart the system. "Get up. Get up!" He growled as his screens came back online. "Minerva, I'm damaged, but I can still fight. Assuming defensive position behind Tristan 1."

Luna was pissed as she stood her Gunner Zaku Warrior up. "There's no way I'll let you get another shot like that in!" Her cannon streaked across the sky, barely missing the squad.

The cannon's light drew Adam's attention to the ship after he tore through his third Astray. Ray's damage was in full view of his screens. "Ray! Minerva!" An Astray came up directly behind the hovering jet as Adam slammed the firing controls. The orange cannon in the back of his jet atomized the pilot. "Shut up and let me go into shock."

Babai's squad was taken by surprise from above as Savior shot holes through two of their wings. When Babai's wing was shot, he snarled, recognizing the suit he fought against at the ORB border. Athrun was gritting his teeth constantly now, making split second decisions. His attack had halted the squad for a moment, but his alarms went off as two blasts went past him. Savior switched to jet form and flew vertically as Chaos followed. "Didn't I say 'quit running away?' !" Sting's voice reverberated, even though he was not in communication with Savior.

"Tch!" Athrun saw the green suit following him in its mobile armor form, and spun backwards into humanoid form, letting off two pink and blue beams of energy off of the guns by its hips.

"Report on Savior, Impulse, and Falcon!" Gladys turned to Meyrin.

"You…are getting shot down!" Sting's anger boiled in his throat. He fired a shot at Athrun, followed by the Vulcan cannons in its shield. Athrun dove into a cloud to dodge it, and reverted to aircraft form.

"Chaos and Abyss are currently being engaged with Savior and Impulse respectively." As Meyrin reported in, Shinn swiped its beam trident out from the water where Abyss once was.

Abyss broke the surface and pointed its four rear cannons at the mobile suit. "Ha! That won't ever hit me!" It shot four projectiles at the mobile suit behind it. Shinn fell back into the water to dodge it.

"As for Falcon, engaging a formation of Astray." Falcon's cone popped off in the middle of the Astray. The moment an arm emerged from the blue and brown suit, it grabbed a beam saber and sliced a horizontal cut through an Astray cockpit. Its rear cannon found another suit to destroy as the cone attached to the shoulders and four missiles launched from it, penetrating the final two Astray. "Another squad of Murasame is also on approach to it."

"Just how many of these things are there?" Adam yelled to no one. Talia ground her teeth as she tried to think up a strategy.

The Murasame squadron had re-organized itself after Athrun's attack. "Let's go! This time for sure!"

"Yes, sir!" The rest of the squad said in unison as they leaned into the attack run.

Athrun dodged left to avoid Chaos's bursts. "What?" He gasped as he saw the squad get a bearing.

Shinn looked up as he skimmed across the water below. "Minerva, incoming!"

"Captain!" Arthur turned towards her, unnecessarily.

"Dodge them! Hard to port! Engines to full!"

Ray began rapid firing with his Zaku's one arm, shooting three of them down, with CWIS assistance to pinpoint. Adam fired a blaster shot into the squad, taking out one more. "HAAAAA!" Babai cried as he made it through the line, transforming into humanoid form right in front of the armored bridge and its window.

Talia gasped as it lowered its gun towards the window. "Eh?" Arthur could say nothing else.

Adam disengaged from his fight with the mobile suits and headed straight for Minerva. "MEYRIN!" His voice echoed in his head as everything moved in slow motion.

From above, a streak of green energy lanced through the rifle from above, detonating it before it could discharge. Babai had no choice but to back off. Freedom appeared out of the sun's glare, with its beam saber in hand. Two of Babai's squad wound up missing a wing each as Kira passed. If the captain's and the first officer's mouths could get any wider, they did when they saw the mobile suit of legend. Everything stopped for a split second as all of the pilots on each side gasped. "Freedom!" Arthur finally got out as the blue winged suit used its forward thrusters to come to a halt in midair.

Meyrin gripped her sides and trembled. "That was close…that was too close!" She whispered as a tear dropped onto her station.

"K…Kira? What is he…?" Athrun was in even more disbelief than the others.

The red and pink Strike with a lion marking on the shoulder came up from behind the faster nuclear powered mobile suit. Adam's eyes went wide. "Cagalli? Not again. Not again!"

"ORB military, cease fire this instant!" Cagalli broadcast as she parked her suit in front of Kira's. Archangel's Gottfried cannons drew the proverbial line in the sand as it kicked up a spray in front of the advancing ORB fleet.

The ORB and EAF forces were stunned once again. Yuuna was standing there with his mouth agape. Neo turned his head and spat. "Tch!"

"ORB must and will not go into such a battle!" Cagalli's speech continued. Babai snarled at the intrusion.

"Just like before, these guys…!" Flames of anger were ignited inside of Shinn. Athrun sighed in total disappointment.

"Nothing can be protected with something like this. It only serves to destroy! Are you going to be the EAF's lapdog? Please remember ORB's ideals! If you don't believe in them, then you're fighting for no reason!"

"Why are you so…didn't you understand the last time? Yet you're out here again…SPEWING SUCH BULLSHIT!" Shinn turned his suit towards the new one and fired 8 missiles from the wide end of his Blast Pack.

Talia, Murrue, and Todoka all gasped at his actions while Cagalli and Adam went wide eyed. As Adam lowered his buster to intercept the missiles, Athrun cried out too late. "Shinn!" Kira's brow furrowed as he stepped to the front. Before Adam could get off his shot, machine gun bullets erupted from Freedom's head, starting a chain reaction in the missiles as they detonated before they touched his precious sister. Freedom drew its beam saber as its thrusters tore through the smoke spread by the explosions. "Kira!" Athrun turned and headed in his direction as fast as his mobile suit would take him.

Shinn fired his cannons at the nuclear suit, but Freedom flew just meters above them. "You as well!" The fire of anger turned into an inferno of hate behind the Coordinator's red eyes. "DON'T SCREW WITH ME!" A red football-like structure appeared in front of his eyes and burst into millions of facetted crystals of light. His eyes became a pure red as he entered berserker mode.

Kira swiped his beam saber at Impulse's neck, but it leaned back and tilted its head back. The violet-eyed Coordinator gasped and went wide eyed. Impulse was on its back, caressing the water looking eye to eye with Freedom, its wings spread wide. "He's one too?"

"Gaaaaaaahhh!" Shinn yelled Impulse swiped its trident upward targeting the same spot as Freedom did, but it did the same and leaned back stretching its neck far back and peeling away and up. Impulse stood itself up on the water and waited for the next attack.

The attack never came as Savior approached, its beam saber and shield at the ready. "Kira, stop this!"

"Athrun!"

Beam met shield as the two clashed in midair. "Weren't you listening when I told you to go back to ORB and doing dumbass things like this?" Kira leaned back as his mobile suit lost ground.

Falcon flew past Strike Rouge as Adam tried to shake off two tailing Murasame. "Don't you learn at all, Cagalli?"

"Adam, what are you…"

"I looked up to you as being rather smart!" Adam did a loop in midair and caught the two Murasame right where it counted on the way back down, cutting through them with wingsabers. Adam looked at her through the flying bits of armor and stringy cables. "You're proving me completely wrong!"

Shinn looked up at the battle between Freedom and Savior, not quite understanding what was going on. His attention was brought back as his alarms went off. Chaos was approaching. "Die you!" Sting yelled.

From underwater, Auel smirked. "I don't quite get it, but that doesn't matter considering you always come when you're not welcome to the party!"

Neo picked up his inter-ship phone. "Are you in some sort of daze, Yuuna Roma?" The spoken to man winced. "In case you need a reminder, you said before that you would take care of everything if that ship showed up again! Sink them both!"

"Todoka-san, please do something!" The first officer all but begged.

The captain of the carrier lowered his head and closed his eyes. "The power to command…isn't ours."

"I…I know that, damn it!" Yuuna replied to Neo quickly, and then turned towards the officers. "Minerva! Hurry and sink it! If we sink that, then Archangel will withdraw! It will be over!" Todoka's teeth gnashed as he heard the order.

Freedom fell backwards as Savior attempted to slash the mobile suit forward and back. "I'm telling you to pull back! Any power you have to contribute only adds to the chaos on this battlefield, Kira!"

They passed in front of Cagalli's eyes. "Athrun!" Kira said over the radio, the blonde girl hearing both of them.

Sting laughed like there was no tomorrow as he closed in from above. "Looks like I get to kill you both!" He fired two blaster shots in rapid succession. The two best friends caught it in the corner of their eyes and broke away before they were shot. As Sting attempted to target Athrun, turning around to do so, Freedom came within meters of the suit, too close to use the blaster or shield Vulcans against. "Nani?" Kira's eyes narrowed into slits as he drew his beam saber. The attack was over in one second. .2 seconds: Blaster arm began to fall. .4 seconds: Armor pod one sliced in half, both parts losing their grip on the mobile suit. .6 seconds: Decapitation. .8 seconds: Armor pod two sliced in half, only the top half slid off. 1.0 seconds: Shield arm came off. As failure alarms cascaded through Chaos's systems, Sting yelled out in desperation. Freedom broke away as Sting fell back towards the ocean surface. What was left of Chaos hit the water hard and skidded along its back. "Booster. Booster. Booster!" Sting struggled with the throttle, and it finally shot back into the sky, flying with only its body and its legs, back to the JP Jones.

"Kira…." Athrun was amazed at the damage one swooping swing from the boy could cause.

As they watched Archangel approach on the monitors, Arthur stuttered to Talia. "C-Captain, what are we…?"

"They may not plan on making an enemy of us, but that ship has caused us severe damage in the past due to their presence. Therefore, we'll label it as hostile!" Everyone gasped. "Understand?"

"Hai!" One after the other said, resuming their duties.

Adam's text receiver displayed a message on the screen. "'Label Archangel as an enemy'? That can't be!" A Murasame came up behind him and brought its rifle to bear the instant before Falcon's orange beam cut through the pelvis of the suit and pilot. "Shut up and let me be indecisive."

Shinn spun around in circles, trying to get a bearing on the speedy underwater suit, not noticing Freedom coming in from above. Athrun fired two rifle shots at his friend, who broke off instantly. "I said stop it, Kira!" He went to follow.

Shinn looked up for a moment, observing the two once again. His proximity alarm went off again. Auel's eyes were wide and enraged. "You'd better not be looking away when I kill you!" The blue suit burst from the water, already in humanoid form. It sent its green beams directly at Impulse.

Shinn's clear mind made an instantaneous plan, and he let the Blast Pack take the blow. The moment before it exploded, Impulse detached the pack, using the force to propel it up to match Abyss in height. "HaaaaaAAAAAHHHH!" Shinn cried as he took his beam trident and lanced it towards the blue suit.

"Nani?" Auel said as he watched the three pointed purple beam approached and pierced the cockpit. He gasped in pain as the sparks and glass flew. Impulse controlled its landing back into the ocean as Abyss fell backwards, immobile, sinking slowly into the ocean. Auel's cockpit filled with water and electrical cables. Soon the inside of his helmet also filled with water, stained with red, as it passed over his open eyes. He lurched forward as Abyss sank deeper. An explosion reached the surface, sending a large water spray into the air where Abyss went under. JP Jones lost its signal.

"Chaos has returned. Medical team, stand by on deck eight."

Two people carried the barely awake Sting on their shoulders. "Rescue helicopter, prep for launch. Abyss distress signal detected at 1018 Beta." At that, Sting snapped his head up and looked at one of the people carrying him.

Athrun and Kira looked on in stunned horror. Adam's jaw was agape. "He actually got one on his own!"

Impulse righted itself as it waded in the ocean. "Minerva! Force Silhouette! Prep the Deuterion Beam!"

"Hai!" Meyrin confirmed.

"Wait, hold up!" Adam sent out a call to both of them. "Send me Meteorite too! I'll try to disable some of their escorts after I get a recharge!"

"But we don't have a delivery system for it!" Meyrin said.

Shinn paused for a second, then brought down his keyboard and started typing. Adam continued. "The adapters are universal. Just stick it on the head of the guidance pod and it'll be fine!"

"You don't understand, with the different mass and aerodynamics, the autopilot would need a massive correction that would take a week to program!" Meyrin knew what she was talking about, since she had talked about it with the mechanic boys in one of their conversations a few days back.

"Or not." Shinn pressed the send button.

Meyrin blinked as new code came up on her screen. "What in the name of…? Um, uploading program now! Force Silhouette platform descending. Opening Falcon Weapons hatch. Meteorite selected. Upload complete. Cone attachment confirmed! It's working! Force/Meteorite Silhouette, catapult launch!"

The new combination Flyer spread its wings once ejection completed. "Shinn, you take the first linkup!" Adam said.

"Roger!" He confirmed as the two halves broke away. The red and black flight pack attached to the back of the mobile suit. The new plugin changed the Phase Shift armor on the suit to red, blue, and white as it rose into the sky. Impulse armed itself with the beam rifle and its shield split open. "But you take the first Deuterion charge!"

"Deal!" The beam cannon folded back together, and the cable linking the two halves of the cone on Falcon's shoulders disengaged. The magnetic seals unlocked and the two halves merged together in the sky. The Flyer's cone split in half and fell onto the mobile suit's shoulders. The autopilot portion of the Flyer swooped into the used Asteroid Cone and began returning to base. The Phase Shift armor spread across the new equipment like a wave, and the two halves of the beam blade emerged into each of Falcon's hands. Adam instantly joined them together and engaged the purple particle energy. "Meyrin, hit it!" He said as he flew up to a height targetable by the cannon.

"Deuterion Beam, fire one, irradiate!"

The narrow energy recharge system met Falcon's forehead spikes, and power coursed through them, directly to the batteries. Adam's power meter went to full gauge. "All right! Shinn, you're up!"

Babai noticed what happened. "We can't let it get another shot! Does anyone have any missiles left?"

"Sir, I do!" One of his wingman said.

"Everyone, cover him. Take out that weapon!"

"But we don't have clearance for that, sir!"

"If we don't, then we'll have to deal with two fresh mobile suits! Now do it!"

"Yes, sir!" They turned towards the ship and gunned their engines.

"Incoming Murasame from port bow high! Ten of them!" Meyrin screamed. "Ray, you've got incoming!" She told the blonde boy with currently only one useable arm while she prepped the next charge.

"I see them!" He turned towards the attackers and fired away.

A CWIS bullet cut across the missile carrying ship. "That was close! Babai-6, fox one!" He pressed the button, but nothing happened. "It's jammed!"

"Deuterion Beam, shousha!" Meyrin announced as Impulse flew into position. It hit the panel with the model number on it, connected directly to the batteries.

"Everyone break off! I'll take this down alone!" The Murasame pilot yelled.

"Reolio-san!" Babai protested.

"For ORB!" He gunned the engines. "May our lion continue to roar!" He crashed his ship into the Deuterion Cannon. Only the missile exploded, and the Murasame was knocked clear before it too, blew up. The bridge crew was shaken up.

Shinn's energy gauge stopped climbing. "Only halfway?" It was in the yellow.

"Damage report!" Talia demanded.

"Deuterion Cannon firing controls are down. No response from the operational crew." Meyrin answered quickly. "The cannon itself seems to be intact though."

"Heavy damage to engineering decks in that section!"

"Minerva!" Shinn appeared on screen. "Can you complete the recharge?"

"Negative. Work with what you have! Damage control will get it up as soon as we can and we'll top you off."

"Understood. Let's go Adam!"

"Yokhai!" The two flew off into a veritable swarm of mobile suits. Shinn fired into two Windams, their cockpits sizzled before they exploded. He engaged his targeting scope, aiming with accuracy at more.

Adam's Falcon went towards the nearest escort ship. The radar operator of it noticed. "Incoming mobile suit from twelve o'clock high! Geez, it's fast!"

"Shoot it down! Hurry! Aim the main cannon and fire!" Their main projectile weapon moved into position and shot a large shell at the blue Astray type.

Falcon slid to the side and held out the beam blade and it sliced the cannonball in half. Adam raised the sword over his head and bore down on the ship. "Grrrooooaaaaahhhh!" He swung downwards as he passed, slicing up the bridge and cutting into the missile stash in the loading bay. The missiles detonated and blew a large hole in the ship. The crew started to abandon it.

"Attention! All ORB forces are to attack Minerva! All ORB forces are to attack Minerva!" The order came in from the flagship.

"There's your clearance! Don't let Reolio's sacrifice be in vain!" Babai rallied.

"Yes, sir!"

Missiles fired and shells were shot, all aimed at the Minerva. Adam pierced into and sliced through the lower deck of another ship before he had to take to the air to avoid fire from some Windams. "At this rate, Minerva is done for!"

"All units, follow me!" Babai ordered.

"Sir!" They went forward, amidst hot metal and green and blue and pink energy beams.

"Stop it now!" Cagalli yelled. Her golden eyes were alive with passion as she blocked the path to Minerva.

Babai gasped. "Cagalli-sama!" His Murasame transformed into a humanoid form, while the others broke off the attack.

"I demand a reason why ORB must fire on the ship behind me."

"Kkgg…what?"

"You mustn't fire. ORB was never an enemy of Minerva, and we mustn't fire on those that weren't enemies!"

"Cagalli-sama! It is her!" One of the wingmen said.

"No, but isn't that a fake?" Another said.

"Tch!" Babai convulsed in anger and gripped the controls. "Move away!"

"Uuhh?" Cagalli was taken aback, as were the rest of the squadron.

"What we're doing is an order. Its from the leader of our country, Yuuna Roma Seiran!" His Murasame made a fist. "It's the will of the country, and thus, our duty to obey as soldiers of ORB!"

"But you…!"

"Even if it has gone out of control or how arduous the task, this is the path we have no choice but to stick to!" As he said this, Adam sent a spray over a raft of survivors of a ship he had sunk. A Windam came up behind him and he tossed a beam boomerang into it, sending both halves on top of the rafts, killing those that couldn't defend themselves. "Do you understand me!"

As CWIS and Tristan fired, another missile penetrated Minerva's defenses and exploded on its starboard catapult hatch. As a Murasame suit hit the water and rolled into little pieces, Talia looked to Meyrin. "Has damage control gotten into the Deuterion Cannon yet?"

"Negative, there is a lot of collapsed metal in the halls that they are trying to remove, but so far, no luck."

"Damn it!"

Shinn fired at a target Astray and destroyed it in one shot. Archangel fired Valiant volleys off the bow of an advancing ship. As everyone listened in to the conversation between the two, including Todoka and Yuuna, Cagalli spoke again. "But…."

"Move away now!" Babai's gray-brown eyes narrowed to slits.

"Eh?"

"Ever since we left, we realized and were prepared to die here!"

"That doesn't have to …."

"If you don't move by yourself, then I'll have to do it by force!" His Murasame dove forward, grabbing Strike Rouge's rifle arm and throwing her back towards Archangel.

"Aaaaaahhhh!"

"Cagalli-san!" Captain Ramias said as she noticed the girl attempting to stabilize.

Kira tried to shoot a disabling shot at Athrun, and Adam withdrew his blade from a third vessel. "Cagalli!" They both said and went towards her as fast as their mobile suits could carry them.

"Observe our honorable tears, and let them carve a memory into your heart!" Babai said as his Murasame folded back into jet mode and gunned the engine. "Charge!"

"Sir!" The others said as they continued towards the Minerva.

"Why you!" Lunamaria's gun heated the air in the sky. All of the Murasame danced around it.

"Please stop, all of you!" Cagalli watched on in horror.

The closest Murasame fired four anti-MS missiles at the starboard side of the ship. Two of them exploded near Luna. "Aaaggghhhh!" She cried as her console exploded.

"Lunamaria!" Ray turned towards the explosion for a moment.

"Onee-chan!" Meyrin was in complete shock as tears took to her eyes again.

"Wha!" Both Arthur and Talia turned towards her.

"Luna!" Adam yelled as he got on the scene.

"Adam, can you see her? Can you see Lumi!" Meyrin was desperate.

"There's too much smoke and…. Shit! Here they come again!" Adam went into jet mode as the squad started circling around again. His wingsabers engaged as he split the sky and one Murasame.

"Damn you!" Shinn snarled as he turned his beam rifle on the rapidly approaching squad, taking three out, one with each shot.

As Ray claimed another kill, Kira still attempted to get to Cagalli, but Athrun blocked him at every turn, not noticing the Minerva's peril. "Kira!"

"Kshe!" Was his exasperated response.

Babai fired his onboard missiles into the ship. The now filled and busy infirmary shook. The doctor looked to the critical patients, including the young woman that Shinn cared for. "If we lose power to this section and we can't monitor her vitals, she'll die for sure."

Babai's Murasame, the only one left in the squadron, continued his one man assault as he fired the blaster housed in his rudder. "Eeehhh!" Ray grunted as he tried to hit the shifty suit. Shinn engaged his target scope again and fired. Each one clipped the Murasame, and it started smoking and accelerating into a dive bomb.

"Kamikaze!" Arthur cried.

"Engines to full! Portside, now!" Talia yelled so loudly, her voice started to go hoarse.

As CWIS bullets impacted around the Murasame, now giant bullet, Babai continued to keep it on course. "For ORB! May our lion continue to roar! Yaaaaaahhhh!" It impacted into the Isolde cannons and burst into a fireball of pure death.

"N…n…no." Cagalli whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Main cannon and starboard catapult are disabled and heavily damaged!" Arthur started the damage report. "Fires have erupted!"

"CWIS is down to 40!"

"Lunamaria unit, severely damaged! Medical teams taking her in!" Meyrin sighed slightly. In her unit, Luna was unconscious, but moaning in pain, her helmet glass cracked and her arm badly broken. Numerous sparking wires and pieces of metal would make it hard to remove her.

"Dear God!" Adam trembled as he flew over his ship.

"One more!" Neo stood up. "One more and they'll go down for sure!"

"Y-yes, that's right! That's all we have left!" Yuuna was apprehensive for once. Todoka gnashed his teeth once again. "If Minerva is taken down that's it! We'll be done!" The ORB fleet sent forward another barrage.

"Minerva! Sword Silhouette and Deuterion Beam! I'm on empty here! Then I'll tear the entire fleet into bits!" Shinn said as they continued to dodge.

"Is it back up yet?" Gladys looked to the screen at the damage control crew.

"Negative!" The man in charge stated. "We've cleared the loose debris, but the big stuff we can't move fast enough. There's a hole, but everyone that knows how to operate the machine is too big to fit through!" He stepped aside and showed the hole.

Meyrin stared at the screen. Talia bit her thumb. "But then Shinn will be going into hostile grounds with no armor. What do we…."

Meyrin stood up and took off her headset. "I'll go!"

"Eh?" Arthur turned towards her.

"What did you say?" Gladys was totally stunned.

"I know the controls, and am small enough to fit in that space." She pointed to the screen.

"But…."

"You said to use my fear to end the battles to the best of my abilities, Captain. Right now, I'm scared shitless. Let me go!"

"Then go!" She waved her off in urgency. "Burt, take her console!"

"Hai!"

"Patch me through to Adam."

"Hai!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Adam appeared on the screen, worry all over his face.

"I'm sending you Comet along with the Sword Silhouette. We need you to defend the Deuterion Cannon while it's manually being activated."

"Understood. But why didn't you have Meyrin send me a text message?"

"Meyrin's the one that's going to fire the beam." She looked at him sternly.

Adam's concern turned into downright panic. "Launch that Silhouette Flyer, and I don't mean later!" He turned off the communiqué. The Sword/Comet Combination Flyer shot out of the Central Catapult. "Shinn, I'm taking the first linkup this time!"

"Go, man, go! I don't blame you!" He replied.

Kira and Athrun continued to clash, sword and shield in the sky. "ATHRUN!"

"The EAF are the ones that are attacking, not ORB! You telling me to just let Minerva sink? Even if ORB withdraws now, they'll be defeated! So shut up and help us!"

Meyrin ran across down the hall, dodging scrap metal left and right. "Where is it?" She yelled at the crew around the hole.

"Right here!" The captain responded and pointed to that specific spot.

Without saying a word, Meyrin climbed onto the uneven debris and inched her way through the hole. On the other side, she broke into a run again, jumping over, sliding under and rolling past pieces of metal, some of them slick with blood. "Let me make it in time!"

Adam put back the two portions of the beam blade and detached the shoulder shields. They converged in the sky and fell to the ocean, point down, so it made a nice little boat that they could recover later. The cone on the Flyer split in two and slipped onto the shoulders of the M-3 unit. The blue and brown armor spread over the new equipment as the shield slipped into Falcon's left hand and the rifle slipped into the right hand. The shield spread open and glowed the blue glow of a Positron Reflector Shield. He flew into position beside the Deuterion Cannon. He began to fire shots as Windam and Astray approached.

Meyrin put all her strength between the wall and the door, forcing it open. Once open far enough, she moved into the room. Actually she tripped, over the arm of a dead man with a metal beam in his back. The other technicians were no better, lying on the floor in different positions, all of them dead. The pinkish-redhead swallowed. "Keep it together, Meyrin. You can handle this. Just find the control panel." She looked around and found what she was looking for. The Deuterion Cannon started charging, Meyrin not noticing the large crack in the side of the generator barrel. "It's working!"

Shinn jettisoned the Force equipment and awaited the Sword equipment. As the autopilot portion rolled away, the laser markers guided the red swords into the giant robot. Once locked, Impulse changed color once again, to a red, black, and white scheme. He jumped into the line of sight of the Deuterion Beam. Adam continued firing and blocking shots from the suits trying to stop what was about to happen. "I won't let you hurt her. You're not getting passed me!"

"Target locked! Deuterion Beam, shousha!" Meyrin yelled, as the thin blue and yellow beam hit Shinn's unit in the forehead plate. The energy gauge became full, and he took off into the advancing enemy battlegroup. "I did it!" She tried to shut down the cannon. Nothing happened. She pressed the button again. Still nothing. Energy started crackling around the place. She looked up and saw the generator barrel. "Oh no! A crack like that, and a generator that won't stop, will turn this entire room into a giant short-circuit!" She ran as fast as she could to get out as small explosions peppered the cannon. Then all at once, the entire thing completely turned into scrap metal, releasing all its leaking energy in the form of an explosion.

Falcon turned around at the sound of small explosions on the cannon. "What in the world?" He commented at the cascading effect of them. A bright flash covered his vision and his suit was blown back. "Gaaahhhh!" He flipped open the visor and rubbed his eyes. Once his vision was cleared he gasped. There was thick black smoke pouring from a large hole in the top of the cannon, shrapnel from the hull falling everywhere. His breaths shortened. "No…way…. MEYRIN!"

Athrun and Kira danced around each other. "Athrun, why are you doing this!"

"Look what all of this is doing? That's why I told you to go back! You could have stopped this from happening!" Athrun yelled over the explosions. "Why the hell are you here if you say you don't want to fight!"

Adam landed on the deck by the smoking cannon. Securing his shield and rifle inside the nose, Falcon engaged the vibrating anti-armor knives hidden in its hip shields. He drove them into the armor of Minerva and, carefully as possible, he cut a doorway and removed it. "Please be okay. Dear God, please let her be okay!" Adam got out of the cockpit and let the winch put him down. He jumped into the door he made. "Meyrin! Where are you? Say something, please!" The desperate boy ran around what was left of the room. When he stepped on a piece of floor paneling, it collapsed under him, and he had to climb back up it to get onto the correct level. Continuing his search, he got to the door Meyrin used to get in. He forced it open all the way. There, on the other side, under a piece of metal paneling, was his pig-tailed love. "Meyrin!" He threw the piece off and away from her. Carefully, he cradled the unconscious girl and checked her injuries. Her leg was bent in a very odd angle, and she was bleeding from two places on her head, but she was breathing.

Todoka, who had long been silent, finally straightened. "Yosh! This ship shall also advance."

"Eh?" Yuuna looked at him oddly, which was normal.

"Engines to full!"

The first officer looked questioningly for a second, but understood the look on the man's face. "Yes, sir. Engines to full!"

"Engines to full!"

"Um…but that means…" Yuuna tried to get the words out.

"Minerva needs to be sunk by our fleet, correct? If that's so, then the flagship must go to make an impressive victory."

"Eh…hmm…." Yuuna put his hand to his chin.

"Hhhaaaaaa!" Shinn cried as Impulse dropped on an EAF ship, both its Excalibur swords engaged. He plunged them into the bow of a ship, and then turned around and swept through the bridge. As the ship began to either explode or sink, he'd jump to the next one, ripping out chunks of metal and cables with the ringing of his sharp blades, sharpened by the beams.

"No more!" Cagalli acted with her gut and drove forward.

"Cagalli-san! Come back!" Murrue-san intended to have Archangel cover her.

"Cagalli!" Kira turned and broke away from combat with his friend.

"Kira!" Athrun followed.

"Hmm…Okay!" Yuuna slapped one hand into the other. "It is an impressive victory. But let's make it complete. Withdraw the mobile suits for a moment and fire some more AP triple S rounds mixed in with the regular shells simultaneously!"

The order went out, and the mobile suits pulled back. "Mobile suits are retreating."

"What? They have us right where they want us, unless…they want to finish us off with high yield explosives!" Talia's logic made perfect sense. "Get as many CWIS ready as you can. Have Ray and Adam take cover. Make sure Athrun and Shinn stay clear."

"Hai!"

"Simultaneous cannon fire, TEI!" Todoka barked the command.

Adam removed his helmet and gently slipped it onto Meyrin's head and she convulsed in pain. "Sorry if this hurts, Meyrin, but if you get hit on the head one more time, you're gonna kick the bucket. Now…" Adam lifted her up. "Let's get you out of here!"

"I understand what you're saying, Athrun. Honest, I do, but…." Kira continued to pursue is sister's mobile suit.

"Keh!" Two Murasame attempted to shoot at Impulse without hitting their own ships. Shinn grabbed a beam boomerang on his shoulder and hurled it into one of the attacking suits. As the other looked on in horror, the red suit jumped and split it in half vertically. Neither of the attacking pilots survived.

"But I can't do nothing when Cagalli is crying here and now!" Athrun gasped at Kira's statement. He had totally forgotten about his fiancé. "She's crying because she doesn't want things to happen this way! Can't you understand that?"

"Stop it, I'm begging you!" Cagalli broadcast to the ORB ships as artillery shells passed her from above, some APSSS mixed in with regular shells. "No!"

"Incoming artillery rounds!" Burt yelled from Meyrin's station.

"Malik, try to avoid them as best as possible. Get the CWIS to shoot them down!"

"Hai!"

On the Archangel's bridge, Miriallia was on alert. "Ten artillery shells are on course towards Minerva!"

"They can't take out that many in their current state! Aim the Gottfried! Hurry!" Ramius ordered.

"You keep labeling this war and all its sacrifices as things that can't be helped?" Kira gripped his controls tightly. Shinn had both boomerang blades in hand and running across the deck of one of the ships, slicing the Murasame stationed there, up. As Astray continued to go against the red suit, Kira continued. "You blame it all on ORB and Cagalli? That's your reasoning for shooting at those she wants to protect?" The red-seeded Coordinator backswung his boomerang into two Astray in a row.

Archangel's cannons fired into the cloud of shells lancing towards Minerva. As the thick green beams of pure energy cast over their starboard bow, they vaporized all of the shells in that vicinity, including the shrapnel shower shells. "Captain!" Arthur turned.

"Aim at the ones headed to portside! A wise man once said, 'If the enemy is of use, make use of them.' If they want to treat us like allies, then we'll capitalize!" She responded quickly.

Ray's blaster and the CWIS sent a barrage into the sky. The shells exploded in midair, including two APSSS. "Shit!" Ray swore as he hid behind his shield quickly. The shrapnel about to rain down upon the Minerva.

"But…Kira…!" Athrun snarled.

"If that is so, Athrun…then I will bring you down!" Kira's eyes became pure violet as he willed his seed to shatter. He drew his beam saber and flew towards Savior at top speed.

"Eh?" Athrun reacted and drew his weapon, preparing to strike first if necessary.

Adam carried Meyrin towards the hole his mobile suit had created to let him in. A blast of heat came through, along with the sound of some loud metallic plunking noises. Recognizing it from when he was in the hangar waiting to launch, he turned tail and started running. As the world went silent in Adam's ears, and his footsteps seemed so far in between even though he ran at full boar, with Meyrin cradled in his arms. The shrapnel shot into his mobile suit outside, and soon went through the hull of the ship where Adam was moments before. He continued to run as the sound of metal upon metal assaulted his ears as he dare not look back. "Bad day, bad day, bad day, BAD DAY!" He said as he dived behind what was left of the Deuterion Generator. As some of the shrapnel made things short circuit and explode, the orange haired pilot held the girl wearing his helmet as tight as he could. "Chikshou!"

Freedom and Savior clashed, sword on sword, shield on shield. Breaking away from each other, attempting to take the next strike, Kira did first with his second saber, backhanding his saber through Savior's sword arm, sending it flying. "Aaagghhh!" Athrun was taken by surprise. Kira showed no emotion other than the narrowing of his gaze. Freedom's attack was done in less than a second. The red and yellow Gundam was cut to pieces. Head, shield, arm, foot, leg, wing, stabilizer, all of it became twisted pieces of red shrapnel as the only thing left intact fell away, the torso. Athrun looked back as his alarms blared around him.

Talia was mad as she looked up from her shaking chair. "Damn it! Another round of shrapnel shells? We've been tricked twice!"

"Captain!" Burt looked back from Meyrin's station. "Savior's been completely disabled!"

"Eehh?" Arthur turned around.

Ray's mobile suit was on its last leg, literally. The spray of shrapnel had cut the left leg off. "That was too close." He positioned himself behind the Tristan cannon and propped White forward on it.

Adam looked around the shielded spot to see the place full of holes big enough for a computer to fit through. There were small fires here and there, and the roof appeared like it was about to collapse. "Come on!" He said as he stood up after checking Meyrin's pulse. "If it wasn't before, it sure isn't safe here now!" As he danced around the sharp potholes a fire on one of the support beams above him melted it. It swung down level with Adam, the hot metal with fire coating it planning to go through his face to get to complete its swing. "Shimatta!"

"The ORB carrier is advancing! Twelve o'clock. Distance: 2000. Missiles are about to launch!"

"Kaihee! Intercept now!" Both Tristan cannons fired into the air, as a Murasame's torn into torso fell into the ocean with a sickening plop. "There's no point in them coming to the front! What are they planning?" As another missile impacted the port catapult hatch, the Tristan on that side fired both its beams into the carrier's aircraft hangar in the bow, severely damaging it.

"No, stop! Go back, Takemikazuchi!" Cagalli begged as she addressed the carrier. She continued to fly forward as the smoke poured from the ship. Ray and the Tristan on that side fired into the ship again. Explosions riddled the carrier. The large ship began to sink from its bow.

"Shimatta!" Adam cried as he instantly moved away from the beam. The hot metal passed just in front of his nose, not doing any damage. However the flames coating it weren't so forgiving. They jumped into his open mouth and down into his throat, scorching his tender vocal chords. The heat and pain he felt in his lungs and throat made him want to scream, but no sound came out. He almost dropped his love as he went down to his knees and coughed violently. The sound of screeching metal rubbing against screeching metal came down from above, and he looked up. The roof was starting to give way. Adam picked her up despite his internal damage and ran out the hole. Orange and pinkish-red slowly ascended Falcon with the winch. Adam didn't take the time to examine his mobile suit's damage, or else he would have seen a shrapnel hole, right by the rear cannon. He took off not knowing that the power cable to the cannon was now in direct contact with the battery, sending a slow feedback charge into it.

"Y-you! You did this, Todoka!" Yuuna grabbed the man by the cuff as the ship continued to sink. "With things like this…."

"Feel free to escape if you wish, Yuuna-sama!"

"Eh?"

"All hands abandon ship!"

Everyone was stunned at his statement, but one man saluted. "Sir!" He went to the intercom. "All hands abandon ship! Repeat, all hands abandon ship!"

"Takemikazuchi, please go back!" Her pleas were too late, it was already over for the ship.

"Keh! You don't know when to quit!" Shinn snarled as he fired his rifle at her from the deck of the sinking ship.

"Uh!" Cagalli cried with a start as she stopped in midair.

One of the Murasame slid in front of her. "Cagalli-sama! Get away, and hurry! Aaaggh!" He cried as Shinn's rifle cut into his side.

"Cagalli!" Kira came towards her as Minerva continued to fire at the doomed vessel.

"The order to destroy Minerva will be followed to the very end by my hand!" Todoka said. "I'll take the blame for the loss of the ship, officers, and troops."

"Eh…what are you…?"

"The ORB military's bravery will echo through the world and colonies because of this battle!" He wrenched his collar free of the blue haired man and grabbed his instead, throwing him into the door. "Take the Commander and go. Everyone is to abandon ship!" He told his officers, who looked at him in amazement. "This is an order! Don't protect Yuuna Roma, but protect our beloved nation!"

"Hai!" They all said, saluting, while Yuuna checked for blood on his lip.

The second officer stepped forward. "I will remain."

"No you won't."

"I refuse to leave!"

"No you won't!"

Adam's systems were all but fried. His audio communication was up, but that was of no use in his current condition. His text communication was locked onto Shinn's address, and wouldn't switch to Minerva to request entrance. His weapons weren't working. Strangest of all, his power gauge was going back up, slowly, but he wasn't getting a recharge from anywhere. Once it hit 100 and still continued to go up, he got worried. Looking at Minerva's hatches, he realized that they were not about to open any time soon, too damaged to move. Thus he turned towards the only ship left that would have a semblance of safety, the Archangel. He jammed the throttle and headed directly towards the ship.

Kira didn't want to see the ship sink either, so he fired at Ray with pinpoint accuracy, taking out his arm and shield. A second shot pierced the top of the Tristan he was on, and it burst into dark red flames. "Cagalli! Fall back! There's nothing more you can do!"

As another explosion rocked the tilting ship, Todoka held onto a console. "I shall hold the blame for everything that happened up to this point. Take the future as your responsibility!"

"We can't leave you, sir!" His first officer said.

"If you think of yourselves as dead soldiers, then gather them and follow the Archangel!" Todoka stood up and took the man by the collar. "If you follow them, the right path will open up to you!"

"Todoka-san!"

"I'm counting on you. Me and those that have died meaningless deaths here today are counting on you!" The older man looked like he was prepared to die. "Now go!"

Adam flew towards the Archangel, but its Valiant shot a warning shot across Falcon. An audio communiqué opened up. "This is Captain Murrue Ramius of the Archangel. Although you have been identified as a friendly by one of our mobile suits, you are stationed on a ship that has identified us as an enemy. Friend or Foe? Identify yourself or be disabled."

Adam was panicking. His girlfriend was moaning in pain in his arms, he couldn't send text messages, he couldn't speak either, and his battery gauge was at 150 and still climbing. The orange-haired boy shed a tear as he tried to speak, even in a whisper, but the pain was too great. The stress overtook him as his brown eyes solidified, his seed had broken once again behind his eyes. Through the pain he opened his mouth. "K…k….k…'Killing because someone was killed…Being killed because you killed…Is that really going to lead to peace?' CAGALLIIIIIIIIIIII!" Adam coughed violently after he forced the words out. Blood splattered Meyrin's green ZAFT uniform.

Everyone halted as they turned towards the source of the radio transmission. "Adam!" Cagalli turned towards him. "Archangel, let him in! He's damaged!"

"What?" Milly said

"That's an order!" The port catapult hatch opened up and Adam flew inside.

Shinn pulled out an Excalibur from another sinking ship and flew up to the Takemikazuchi bridge, stomping up the deck's angled surface to get face to face with the people inside. Todoka looked into the cameras in Impulse's eyes amongst the flames behind him. He went wide eyed for a moment and smiled. "It was good to see you again, Shinn…Asuka."

The boy in the red flight suit raised his mobile suit's weapons over its head. "HhheeeeaaaaaAAAHHHH!" He cut through the bridge and the man from above. With that one swing, Shinn killed the man that saved him on Onogoro, that took him under his wing, that sent him to ZAFT to start over. Shinn didn't even know his name, and now, he never would. Impulse jumped away as the entire carrier burst into a misshapen ball of flame.

Falcon skidded on its knees into the catapult, the cockpit already opening. Without even waiting for the winch, Adam jumped out of the kneeling mobile suit with Meyrin in his arms. "Hey, kid, what's all the rush?" Murdock and the mechanics were running out to meet him, and Adam thrust the girl into Murdocks burly arms. "Huh? A little girl?" He turned around quickly, determination on his seeded face. He ran back to his unit, but he tripped. On his hands and knees, he coughed up more blood. Much more of it. But that didn't matter to the boy anymore. He looked up with anger and determination on his face as he swung his injured body back into the mobile suit.

The mechanics were blown back as Falcon went to full throttle and cleared the ship without a catapult. "What in the world?" Both Murrue and Talia said.

Their sensor officers noticed something strange as well. "I'm detecting a massive energy buildup inside Falcon! It's overloading!"

As Adam drove Falcon as fast as it would go, it cleared both ships far enough so they wouldn't be damaged by the blast. The orange haired boy opened his hatch when the gauge read 200. The M-3 Astray Falcon, the blue and brown Gundam, Cagalli's gift to Adam, burst into hundreds of pieces. Everyone that could still watch had their eyes riveted to the explosion. If the destruction of her ORB fleet wasn't enough, seeing her friend's suit explode was enough to make her snap. "ADAM! NOOOOO! Aaaagghh!" The last she said in a squeak as she gave up control of her mobile suit. It was sent diving. Kira swooped in and scooped Strike Rouge up.

"Adam…." Shinn's eyes trembled. The only thing that pulled his eyes away from the Falcon's bits plunging into the ocean was the boy's name on his text message screen. There was only a one word message, and it was addressed to Shinn: SORRY. His body convulsed. He tore off his helmet and vomited onto the floor of his cockpit. When he was done, he lifted his head towards the sky. "HHHEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" It was a scream he used only once before, the day his family perished at Onogoro.

I Wanna Go To A Place…that we can be together.

Chapter 18 Preview: No, this story isn't done. There's far more left to go. Because episode 29 is something I cannot use in the story, I must wait until I see episode 30 and 31 before I get to writing. That means next week there won't be a chapter. But don't worry, this was just the beginning. Let me just leave you with this for now as a preview for the rest of the series. Flap your feathers and soar to new heights: Eagle!


	18. Old Friends Anew Ch 18

Old Friends Anew

Phase-18: Despair and Decisions

Hiding in an abandoned niche along the coast, the heavily battered Minerva sat in wait. On the shielded bridge, Arthur gave his report. "There doesn't appear to be any major damage to the main engine. Sadly, the weapons and hull are severely, if not completely, damaged."

"Hmm." Talia reviewed the reports as he spoke.

"As for the mobile suits, Savior and Warrior have extreme damage, nearly irreparable. The Phantom's damage is half that. This is a very harsh test for us."

"And Gibraltar is only a short distance away. Now we have no choice but to have supplies delivered and repair the ship here. I guess it can't be helped."

"Yeah."

"Each and every time, fighting them leaves a bad taste in our mouths. That's even though we aren't defeated. Watch above and below the water. Keep a tight look out for aircraft and submarines, did you get that, Meyrin?"

Silence from the empty seat was the only answer. "Um, about that, Captain…."

"They haven't found her yet?"

"No. The decks around the Deuterion Cannon are basically in pieces. We have crews working round the clock to search the rubble but at this rate…."

"Is that so? I'll leave the rest to you then." She sighed and left the bridge.

Things weren't looking so good in the hangar either. Youlan looked at the stats for Savior. "Man, there's no way to fix this."

"Freedom was the one, right?" Vino paced around the dismembered suit.

Youlan shrugged his shoulders and sighed. "Guess even FAITH's best couldn't beat that suit.

"And what are we going to do about him?" Vino motioned towards the Central Catapult, where Shinn sat on the open door of the Falcon nose cone locker.

"Leave him. He's got the only pilotable suit right now. If he's called into battle, he won't have time to grieve. Best to get it in now."

"Do you know when the service will be?"

"No, the bodies are still being identified."

"Ugh!" Lunamaria groaned as she sat up, holding her good arm to her bandaged forehead. "Someone tell the guy with the jackhammer to lay off." She looked at her surroundings. "Auda?" She was in the infirmary, Stellar in the next bed over, in a fitful slumber. "She's still around, huh?"

Deep in ocean ruins, the battleship that causes chaos sat, with many damaged, but reparable Murasame and Astray mobile suits in its hangar. "Doctor, he's waking up!" A nurse in a mask said in the ER.

"Impossible! Double the dose of sedative! If he tries something we'll lose it!" The doctor said as he looked into the dark brown eyes opening before him. "Listen, don't move, don't speak, don't think. We're trying to save you. Just let the sedative do its job and sleep well." The brown eyes closed again, as the drugs did their duty to his young body.

In another room, not too far away, a young girl rolled out of her bed, onto the floor. As she struggled to get up, she winced at the needles of the IVs in her arm. A nurse came in. "So, how's our surprise pa…." She dashed towards the girl on the floor. "No! You're in no condition to get up!"

"Did it work? Is Minerva safe? I fired the beam, right? We won, right? Adam, I need to find Adam, let him know…let him know…." The girl passed out in the nurse's arms.

The bridge of the Archangel was more packed than the infirmary and the hangar. "Um…but…" Cagalli was stunned at the assembly before her, filled with ORB uniforms, deserters from the ORB forces.

"'I shall hold the blame for everything that happened up to this point. If you think of yourselves as dead soldiers, then gather them and follow the Archangel! Me and those that have died meaningless deaths here today are counting on you!'" The former second in command said solemnly. "Todoka-san's final words will always be burned in my memory."

"You mean he stayed…."

"Aboard ship, hai." Silence invaded and pervaded the bridge, as the only sound was of the B-Flat of an electronic buzz. "We disobeyed your orders and fought again and again. We lost so many ships and soldiers' lives, those that you cared so much for! There is no way we can apologize enough!" He bowed suddenly. The 30 to 40 other deserters that were on the bridge bowed as well. "I beg of you, if you recognize the anguish we and Todoka-san experienced, please forgive us! We dedicate ourselves to fighting by the Archangel's side! Please!"

Cagalli's eyes struggled to hold back her tears. "Lieutenant Amagi…please don't…. The one that should apologize is me! I'm terribly sorry!" She fell forward, grasping the man's shoulders.

"Cagalli-sama…." The others stood up again.

"It's because I was a fool. It's because I was powerless. It's because of me that we lost so many precious people with great minds."

"Cagalli-sama, no that's…."

The dams broke once again, as her body convulsed into sobs. "I…I…." Cagalli's legs collapsed under her, and Amagi knelt with her.

"No, Cagalli-sama, it's not true." Those that felt guilty felt tears run down their cheeks and noses as well.

Kira walked forward to take care of his sister, his blank stare ruling his face. "Don't cry, Cagalli." He said it to her, but as he looked to the others in the room, their tears also slowed. "We are sure of nothing, other than that we can't just leave things as they lay." As his blonde sister looked at him with reddened eyes, he continued. "Then again, we don't know what the right way to do things is, either. Attacking ZAFT, probably useless. Going after the EAF, won't do any good either. We've done all this before, historically. That's exactly why the hate won't end, and the fights won't end. Since we fight as well." He sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "Really, it's might not do anything. I'm sure all of us want…the people of PLANT and Earth want…to just wish for a world filled with happiness. That's exactly why…uh, how can I put this…if you all are in that frame of mind…um…."

"Of course, Kira-sama." Amagi smiled slightly. "We're not here planning to fight for revenge or just for the sake of fighting. The soldiers of ORB you see before you joined the military because we believe in ORB's ideals. Thus, we will fight for the true ORB, the ORB that lies with you, Kira-sama, Cagalli-sama." Cagalli finally rose from her position, her tears having dried. "We know the journey will be difficult, and that's why we all have chosen to fight for you, Cagalli-sama, you and this ship."

"Amagi..."

"Ah, I understand now." Kira smiled. "I apologize for being so rude. Please, I'm counting on all of you."

"Iie, I believe we're the ones that should be saying that." They all went to attention and saluted the teen. He gasped, taken off guard at their actions, considering he was only a pilot, but had forgotten he was a prince. Murrue just giggled behind him, remembering how odd it felt to be saluted for the first time.

Shinn sat in sickbay, next to the suffering blonde. The oxygen mask over her mouth and nose was hardly used by her slow breathing. Stellar's looks progressively got worse, now developing dark rings around her closed eyes. Shinn stared at the gift she gave him. "Why do people keep dying around me? First it was my parents, and Mayu. My sister was so precious to me, Stellar. Now it's Adam, my best friend, whom I never even got the chance to apologize to. And now they're calling off the search through the wreckage, meaning they're thinking Meyrin is gone too. I just don't know what to do anymore." He gripped the glass so hard it started to crack. Stellar sighed painfully as she roused from sleep. Shinn stood up and went to her side. "Stellar! What's wrong? Please tell me, Stellar. Are you okay?"

She opened her eyes as she started to flinch and tremble. "Shinn…." Her statement was cut off as a pain ran through her spine. He kneeled down next to her and looked back and forth between her, the vital monitor, and the room, hoping to see a nurse or doctor around, which there was none. "Ah…" She looked at the prize in the boy's hand.

"This thing?" He brought it closer to her face and shook the jar so she shell jingled inside. Stellar smiled through the pain. "Do you remember? You gave me this down in that cave."

She nodded slowly. Her smile was instantly removed as she started to convulse. "Agh!" The purple-eyed beauty gasped.

"Stellar!"

She coughed her way through the spasm, "This place…I don't like it…creepy!" Seeing her like this showed Shinn truly how bad off Stellar was. "Protect…. Shinn, didn't you promise…promise to protect Stellar?" Two tears dribbled out of her tightly shut eyes.

Shinn couldn't answer, but he didn't need to because the nurse came in and saw them both. "Move out of the way!"

"Eh?" Shinn said as the nurse shoved him back.

"Shinn!" Stellar squeaked. They stared into each other's eyes, each trembling, one in pain, and one in fear. As the nurse put her to sleep again with an injection, she sighed, the pain relieved for the time being.

Lunamaria, already released from the infirmary, walked down to the hangar to assess the situation. "A small concussion and a broken left arm won't stop me!" She said proudly as she entered. Of course, her pride left her the moment she saw Savior, or…what was left of Savior. "Wow! I'd better check on Athrun-san." As she kept crossing the bridge, she came across her suit. Her jaw dropped and looked at her bad arm. "Guess I was lucky. Most people could have been killed by damage like that. Speaking of which, I should meet up with Meyrin in our usual spot. Boy am I gonna give her a chewing out. I would have thought she'd be by my bedside when I woke up."

"Meyrin!" The pigtailed girl in the green uniform sucked on a soda when she heard her sister calling her. Vino and Youlan dropped the conversation they were talking about.

"Ah, Onee-chan! Diajobu?"

"'You okay?'" Luna copied as she approached, and put her good arm on her hip. "You shouldn't be saying that, honestly! Mou! You didn't visit me after I got taken out? What's up with that?"

"Uh…." Meyrin flinched visibly. "But I've been on duty until just a few minutes ago. There's no way I could have gone to see you, Lumi."

Luna squinted at her little sister suspiciously, a creepy face that made Vino move back a step. "Fine, whatever." Her looks softened. "More importantly, where's Athrun? How's he doing?"

"Eh?" Vino was the target of the question, but he was still a little freaked by the injured girl.

"How do you mean?" Meyrin sipped on her straw.

"I didn't know Savior was damaged so badly."

"Eh? Wha? You mean Athrun-san got shot down?"

"You didn't know? Weren't you on the bridge?"

"Well, yes, of course I was. But…was I somewhere else? I…I don't know…." The reddish-pink haired girl stood up slowly. "I have a headache. I don't feel so good."

"Mirei? Hey, Mirei, what's wrong?" Luna blinked at her as her sister's vision started to blank. "Meyrin!"

Slowly Meyrin opened her eyes, as the beeping of vital monitors annoyed her ears. "Lumi?" Looking around, she saw only a medical bay's equipment, and the bed she was lying in. "It was a dream…." A tear rolled down to her ear as she closed her eyes. "Onee-chan."

"Meyrin! Mou! Where did that girl go?" Lunamaria entered the lounge, where Vino and Youlan were sitting and talking. "Hey, where's Meyrin? You seen her?"

"N…no. You mean you…." Vino was twitching at Luna's angry gaze.

"Ah, forget it. More importantly, where's Athrun? How's he doing? I didn't know Savior was damaged so badly."

"But he wasn't even hurt. You saying you weren't told? No problems, he's fine." Vino relaxed a bit. "Though I haven't got a clue as to what he's doing."

"Oh, Shinn!" Youlan was the first to spot the boy walking in the door. The other two turned to face him.

"You okay?" Shinn asked the girl, almost monotonically as he walked past her.

"Ah, I'm fine. Should be back on the flightline in no time. That is, if I ever get a working mobile suit. Red got taken down rather badly."

"That so?" He said, heading towards the vending machine.

"Ne, where's Athrun? Do you know how he is?"

"Huh? Nope." He pressed the button for canned coffee and it dispensed. "He was taken out by Freedom. A really impressive way of doing it too. My guess is he's all depressed and sulking in his room right now. Heh. Guess he isn't that strong, huh?" Shinn popped the top of the can. "Now how the hell do you suppose he got into FAITH with crappy skills like that? I guess he's the definition of 'has-been' now." He shrugged as he walked away.

"What's with you today?" Luna asked him.

"Adam's dead." Luna completely froze in place, the quivering of her eyes the only thing giving away that she was alive. "Falcon blew up near the end of the battle without warning." Shinn took a swig of his coffee and continued to speak without tact or sympathy. "Meyrin is MIA too. See you."

Lunamaria ran forward and blocked the door. "Hold it! What do you mean my little sister is MIA?"

"Don't you get it, Luna? She's dead, gone! She had to manually fire the Deuterion Beam at me, and the damn thing blew up soon after. You'll get the details later, bye now." As he was about to take another step around her, his face began to hurt. "Is there calligraphy on my cheek saying 'Please slap here' or something?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Luna sobbed. "You're acting like Adam's not affecting you at all! And telling me that Mirei is…. Have you gone completely heartless?"

"Probably. Sorry if that's a problem."

She slapped him again. "Stop it! Why aren't you crying? Why aren't you even sad?"

"What do you want from me?"

"I don't know! But I want something! I just lost my sister, damnit! She was your friend! How can you stand there and not cry?"

"Don't you put me in with the rest of you! Ever since I saw Falcon explode, my tears have dried up! Do as you freakin like! I don't care anymore!" Shinn pushed her aside and left.

Luna collapsed to the cold metal and screamed as her hot tears coated it. Vino looked at the now empty doorframe with tears rolling down his cheeks. "How cruel."

The JP Jones sat in the EAF port, basically alone, aside from a few scraps of ORB personnel on boats that could still float. The Extended lab inside the ship seemed empty, now that only Sting occupied his cradle as the boy had the terrible memories of the battle erased, along with his friendship with Auel. The situation was not missed by Neo, who stood watching him. "'What are we fighting for?'"

"Eh?" One of the techs turned their heads towards him.

"Heh. If we start to think that, then that's the end of us. You might want to slip that into his head."

"Ah…."

"That so?" The doctor had pulled Captain Gladys aside. "There really is nothing you can do?

"No, nothing at all." He sighed. "It's up to time now." Shinn heard the doctor's admission from around the corner and stopped. He pressed his back against the wall and started listening. "The best thing to do would be to hand her over while she's still breathing. That aside, any more attempts to keep her alive would wind up shortening it. Plus, it would only make it harder for an autopsy team to get accurate results."

"To go that far? But we have plenty of data from the Lodonia laboratory, don't we? The Supreme Council wants a live Extended as a specimen." As Talia let out a breath, Shinn took in a stunned one. "Continue what you've been doing up till now. We'll hand her over while she's alive, as long as we can keep her that way."

"Yes, very well. Regardless of my opinions, I will do my best."

"Yes, please do."

"'Live Extended as a specimen?'" Shinn whispered to himself.

As the small meeting was over, the captain was about to leave before she thought of something. "Oh, what of Shinn? He still comes around here, doesn't he?"

"Yes, quite often. Why he worries about that girl so much is beyond me, though."

"Is that so?"

Shinn winced and walked away.

Murrue sighed in her captain's chair, typing on a pad in her hand. "The problem with getting new crew members is assigning them all to different spots and schedules."

"But at least we've solved our short-handedness problem, ne, Captain?" Milly peeked over her seat at her.

The poor woman pinched the bridge of her nose. "But I had the skeleton crew schedules all worked out perfectly too. I have to re-work everyone's shifts."

"Just get Kira to help you out. He may not look it, but he can do wonders with numbers." Cagalli smiled slyly.

"What do you mean 'he may not look it'?" Kira shot back, and Cagalli stuck her tongue out at him.

"Ah! That's right! Kira-kun, you did reprogram Strike the first time after all. If you could go berserk, you'd be able to do it in half the time! Would you do that, Kira-kun?" Ramius asked the boy sweetly.

"Woah, no way! I only go berserk in the battlefield, that's my rule."

"Maybe so…but there's one way…." The captain pulled out a thermos.

"Wh…what are you…?" Kira stepped back a bit as she poured a brown liquid into the cup. "Oh no…not that!"

"Kira-kun! Would you like to have some coffee?" She approached with an evil smile on her face.

"Oh no, not coffee! Not the brown liquor of death!" He continued to back up some more, until Cagalli grabbed him under his arms. "C…Cagalli, what are you doing? Let me go!"

"This is for the good of the crew Kira, now open wide!" She grinned.

"Come on! Let me go!" Kira flailed.

"Ki-ra-kun." Murrue pushed the cup closer to his mouth.

"No! Not that! Anything but that!"

"AHEM!" The navigator cleared his throat.

All three looked at him as he pointed up. Their eyes followed his finger to lay their eyes on the hanging video screen, on which the doctor was blinking at their display. "Um…I could submit my report later…if you're busy, Captain."

"Um…." Murrue turned to the screen with professionalism, and Cagalli let go of her brother and rubbed the back of her head. "Not at all, please go ahead." She caught Kira smacking her sister upside the head out of the corner of her eye. "Speaking of which, are you alright? You seem rather pale."

"I just got out of a twelve hour surgery. And before that, I was treating another patient for four more hours."

"My God, what happened?"

"The girl Chief Murdock had brought in had a concussion in two places, very severe. She also had some cracked ribs that needed to be set. I also went through to make sure she wasn't bleeding internally."

"She's the one that was in a ZAFT uniform, correct? What was her name?"

"Her dog tags identify her as Meyrin Hawke."

Cagalli went rigid. "That name…."

"Eh?" Kira and Miriallia shared a look.

"I gave clearance for her to be treated, but what about the other? Was one of our pilots hurt that badly?"

"No, ma'am. He's not one of ours. Apparently a Murasame pilot found him floating in the ocean, bleeding, his ejection thrusters shorting out. Because of the battle, I was unable to get permission, but he would have died if I didn't. I take full responsibility for my actions."

"The pilot's name and affiliation?"

"He's a ZAFT pilot whose dog tags identify him as Adam Cancho."

Cagalli was out the door in a split second, with Kira and Milly scrambling to follow her. The captain watched them leave and turned up to the screen again. "Meet us outside sickbay, I'm on my way!" She also went to follow. "Amagi, you have the bridge!"

"Hai!"

Athrun walked out onto the deck of the ship, cast in reds and oranges by the setting sun. "So this is all that's left, huh?" His memories ran rampant in his mind again, from his father's radical ideals, to Uzumi Athha's sacrifice, to all the battles he'd fought, and Kira's words before the boy struck him down.

"Open up you stupid door!" Shinn pushed the clanky piece of metal out of the way. As he stepped outside, he realized that Athrun was standing there watching him. He stopped and turned around.

"Shinn."

The boy halted and shot an eye at the blue-haired Coordinator. "What is it now?"

"Uh…nevermind." Athrun looked away, which just pissed off Shinn even more.

"So this is where you were. I thought you were sulking in your room instead of doing it out here." Athrun blinked at him. "That's rather risky, for a serious FAITH member, that is. Luna's been asking about you, making sure you're okay. She was worried about you of all people even though she got hurt so badly. Of course she's probably seeing a counselor about Meyrin right about now."

"Shinn!"

"You act great all the time, putting on all those airs of self-importance, but you can't hide that you aren't able to do anything!" Even though he was angry at Saviors former pilot, he was also mad at himself for Stellar.

"You want to repeat that!"

"It's the EAF's fault. You came back to ZAFT to fight them, didn't you?" The older teen took a step back. "If I'm right, then pull yourself together. I don't want to see any more of my friends in pieces." Shinn forcefully ended the conversation by walking away.

All in a row, Kira, Cagalli, Miriallia, Murrue, and the doctor stood in front of the observation window. "He was covered in shrapnel wounds. Most of them won't have scars, but there are a few that will be permanent. That wasn't the big problem though. Some how, his vocal chords and a portion of his lungs were burned. We had to go in and treat the damaged tissue and stimulate tissue growth. The burns were only to the second degree, so they should heal on their own, but he apparently caused more damage when he tried to speak at some point, ripping one of the weakened muscles in the process. We re-attached the muscle, but it is pretty bad."

"What scenarios are we looking at for his recovery?" Kira called from his side as Cagalli put her forehead to the glass and started sobbing again.

"He's lost a lot of blood. His survival is up to fate now. If he recovers, his voice will never be the same as it was, that is, if he is ever able to speak again. Best thing to do now is pray."

"And what about the girl, Meyrin? She's his girlfriend, right? How's she doing?"

"The nurses tell me she's woken up twice already, so that's good progress. I'd keep her in bed for a week so we can make sure nothing else comes up, and she shouldn't really do anything but relax for three months after that, but she'll make a full recovery."

"Well, that's good at least. If Adam wakes up, tell him that she's alive and that will encourage his recovery." Cagalli dried her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'll do just that. Would you like me to alert you when either of them are awake."

"Please do. I'm sure they'll have a lot of questions." The captain sighed as she left to take a LONG dip in the hot tub.

Back on the surface of the water, Minerva was bathed in the darkness of night. This was not the case with the inside Shinn's room, where his face was bathed in the light of his computer. "Kuso!" He slammed his fists into his desk. The noise caught the attention of someone outside, and his doorbell rang. "What do you want?"

The door slid open and Ray entered, his uniform jacket unbuttoned. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah yeah, I'm fine." Shinn said smiling, visibly trying to hide his terminal screen.

"What are you doing, may I ask?"

"Uh…nothing to be concerned about."

"I see. I will be going to bed. Try to get some sleep yourself."

"Yeah. Good night, Ray."

"Oyasumi nasai." The blonde said as the door closed behind him. He smiled, since he clearly saw the top secret report on Gaia on Shinn's monitor.

The medical bay seemed empty during the night, even though the nurse was in, keeping an eye on Stellar. She was writing down the readings on stat monitors as the doors admitted someone in. "What do you need? At this hour, could it be a sleeping pi-" She turned around and saw Shinn rushing at her. A quick chop to her midsection with his stiff hand made her collapse over him.

Shinn softly placed the woman by the stat monitor and apologized. "Sorry about that. Stellar…." He turned towards the girl.

She opened her eyes slowly. "Neo?"

"Huh?"

A weak smile caressed her lips. "Oh, it's Shinn."

He returned her smile. "Let's get you home. I will keep my promise to you." She just stared at the kind, but deadly boy. "Stellar, I'll protect you."

With a few moments, he had her off of all monitors and life support other than oxygen, which was attached to her bed. The red-eyed pilot pushed her bed to the door, looked out to see if anyone was there, and pulled it into the hall. They were off, heading for the hangar as fast as he could push.

In the hangar, two guards looked at the Blaze Zaku Phantom that hung there without arms and a leg. "Well, there's a possibility once we get to Gibraltar, right?"

"Yeah, but we're stuck here! Even if we get some vacation time, we won't be able to go back home. I miss my daughter."

The first one laughed, as he heard the sound of wheels squeaking echo through the hangar. "Uh?" He turned towards the sound. "Hey, just what are you doing?" Shinn said nothing and pushed Stellar's bed harder. "Bastard! I asked you a question!" He armed his rifle and ran towards the Coordinator pilot. Three others joined him, with Ray following quietly behind them.

Shinn was stuck waiting to go into the one place he had to go, the elevator. "Don't move!" One of the men leveled his weapon.

"Ugh!" One of the other security guards got hit. Ray took on three guards at once with only his fists.

The first forgot about Shinn and turned on Ray. "What the hell are yo-"

Shinn raised his fists and slammed them onto the weak spot on the back of the guard's neck. He was out instantly. Ray mopped up the final guard. "Are you giving her back?" He said, as if he wasn't in a fistfight less than 5 seconds before.

"Uh…yeah." Was Shinn's answer. "As things are now, she'll die. Even if she lives, she'll be treated like a lab rat. I'll never let them do that!" He wheeled her into the elevator as he spoke.

As the door was about to close, Ray wrapped his hand around it and kept it open. "You'll be coming back, right?"

"Of course!"

"Then go. I'll make sure the gate opens for you."

"Eh?"

"Whatever type of life she lives, if she can live, I'm sure she'd want to." Ray let go of the door and it closed shut.

When it opened again, Shinn pushed Stellar out the door and onto Core Splendor's level. Shinn unstrapped her and took off her oxygen mask. Lifting her slight form into his arms, he carried the ailing Extended into Core Splendor's cockpit and closed the hatch as it rose. "Shinn." She whispered.

"It's okay. Just hold on for a while. Could you do that for me?"

At the secondary control room, Ray was busy locking out the controls to the catapult on the bridge, sitting in the chair of the man he had just recently knocked out. Alarms blared around him, but not because of his actions.

The captain came onto the bridge as fast as possible. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Burt reported in, because Arthur was off duty. "The Extended has gone missing."

"What did you say?"

The central catapult's hatch withdrew as Splendor's platform set itself into position. The propulsion gate rose behind the engines. In the secondary control room, Ray ignored the pounding on the door. "Open up, damn you! Hey! Someone get a laser cutter and slice off the lock!"

"All set, Shinn." Ray spoke into his stolen headset.

"Here we go, Stellar!" Shinn hit the throttle, and the engines roared to life. Bee, bee, bee, buzz! The final checklist cleared, and the little blue plane was out into the night sky, barrel rolling away from the ship. The Chest, Leg, and Force Silhouette Flyers were shortly behind.

"Captain, Impulse just launched!"

"Eh?"

The jet folded forward and its wings receded. The strange little pod docked with the lower half, and the legs stretched out. Both pieces were soon joined by the torso, which opened up its arms. Lastly, the Force equipment pack coupled itself to its back. The blue, red, and white color scheme coated the armor as the shield stretched out from its four point star. Setting off on its journey, Shinn inserted a data disk onto his onboard computer. "The EAF's locations and Gaia's broadcast code, with this I should be able to get you home, Stellar." He went off on his dangerous mission towards enemy territory.

Ray unlocked the door of his own will and gave no resistance as the MPs arrested him. Athrun followed as they went to the captain's chambers. "Yes, I'm serious! It can't be helped! We have nothing that can pursue him currently." She spoke into her communications line as Ray, the MP, and Athrun entered. "You won't be needed here, Athrun."

"Eh?"

"Dismissed." He saluted the woman and left quickly. "You too." She spoke to the MP.

"Yes, sir!" He saluted and left.

Ray approached her desk without a word. Once the door shut, she turned to him with an extremely cross look. She waited for him to start things off. "Pursuing him will do nothing. Shinn will return on his own."

"Meaning, Ray? This is another order from that person, isn't it?"

Neo wasn't too happy about being roused in the middle of the night, but that attitude evaporated in a flash. "Gaia's ID code? What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't know. There has been a continuous broadcast of it though."

"Hmm. All hands go to level two stage battle stations."

"Sir!"

"Heh, even though I say that. The only thing that can fly is my Windam. Fine then, respond to it."

"Hai."

A signal was sent back to Impulse, and Shinn quickly checked to see if it was genuine. Once determined as such, he sent a message to the same frequency. "Neo, Stellar is waiting for you. Point S-228 is where you'll get her, but come alone. Repeating. Neo, Stellar is waiting. Point S-228. Come alone and pick her up."

"Colonel…."

"My superior has nothing to do with this. My actions here were of my own accord." Ray stated, matter-of-factly. "I am fully prepared for all military punishment that you give. Shinn was only giving her back. I know him, and he will definitely return."

The JP Jones' hangar door opened and moved the purple Windam out. "Sir, are you sure you'll be fine by yourself?"

"Chaos is still busted up. We have no choice." Neo spoke into his radio. "Trap or no, we won't learn a thing if I don't go." The Windam's wings unfolded.

"Sir."

"I'll leave the rest to you. Neo Lorrnoke, Windam, deluzo!" He launched.

On a coastal cliff, Impulse kneeled on one knee, ironically, in the same spot Savior was a few days earlier, when Athrun and Adam met Kira and the others. "You'll see, Stellar. Just wait a bit. Neo will come."

"Neo?" Her weak hands held his shoulders.

"Unh." Shinn looked out to sea. His radar picked up something, and the viewscreen automatically zoomed in. "That mobile suit!" He was reminded of his first real sortie with Adam, in the Indian Ocean.

Neo's screen also zoomed in once it detected something on the rocks. "That mobile suit?" He landed his metallic humanoid next to Impulse with expert precision. The Windam winched the man down to the ground. "I'm here! I am Neo Lorrnoke! As promised, I am alone and unarmed!"

After a few seconds, Impulse's hatch opened, and brought Shinn down the winch, with Stellar around his neck. He lost her grip on her when the winch stopped and he quickly caught her as he dismounted. "The only reason I'm returning her is because she'll die if I don't. This is a favor, so you'd better make me a promise! Send her to a place that has no war, no guns, no mobile suits, or anything that can cause death! Give her a world that's kind and warm!"

Neo stepped forward, and his rival picked Stellar up and stepped backward quickly. "That promise…is one I'll keep." After a pause, Shinn approached him and gently placed the blonde into his arms. "Stellar."

She woke up again, and could barely put on a smile. "Neo."

"I suppose 'thank you' would be in order."

"I don't give a shit if you don't. But you'd better make good on…." Shinn balled his fists.

"The promise?" Neo interrupted. "I understand. See you around." The man turned around and started to walk back to his mobile suit.

"Hold on!" Shinn said as he started digging through his pockets. He held out the glass jar with the shell in it.

"Hmm?"

"Stellar had given this to me. Stellar likes this thing, so…."

"Go ahead."

"Shinn…." She whispered as his warm hand placed the cold jar in hers.

"Don't forget, Stellar." He placed her hand onto her heart. "Please don't forget me." She sighed through the pain with an affectionate look in her eyes, one that Shinn couldn't handle. He broke away without a word and let the winch take him up to his mobile suit.

"Shinn." Her brain was in too much pain to understand.

Impulse took off into the rising sun. When he felt a drop run down the corner of his eye, he wiped it up and looked at it. "Guess I can cry. Looks like I'll have a lot of apologizing to do."

"Shinn…" Stellar whispered before she passed out again, jingling the shell in the vial.

I Wanna Go To A Place … where pain doesn't exist.

Next Episode Preview: Believing wasn't a choice. Entrusting her to him wasn't a choice. But this wasn't the outcome he wanted to see. No, this is the outcome no one would want to see. As hearts bleed in emotional pain and suffering, what is it that causes the pure snow to turn red? When it reveals itself from its shroud of darkness, what will the eyes of our heroes see? Next time on Old Friends Anew: Hell's Representative. Plow your way to the field of carnage, Destroy!


	19. Old Friends Anew Ch 19

Old Friends Anew

Phase-19: Hell's Representative

As the legendary legged ship sat at the bottom of the ocean, two soft blue eyes opened slowly, raising the girl that they belonged to out of the depths of unconsciousness. Her head was throbbing. "Are you awake?"

The pinkish redhead turned towards the noise and her vision started to clear. "Cagalli…san?"

"Well at least I know you don't have amnesia, ne?" The blonde girl chuckled.

"Where am I? What happened?" Meyrin struggled to sit up. "What are you doing back on Minerva?"

"Woah, take it easy Meyrin Hawke." ORB's princess pushed her lightly back onto the bed. "You've have a bad concussion and a few other really bad hits. The doctors won't want you out of bed for a week, so stay put."

"I don't really feel up to trying that again anyway." The girl sighed as she relaxed into her pillow. "Think I could get a second pillow though? So I can at least look at you instead of the ceiling when I'm talking to you?"

"Um, sure. Give me a second." Cagalli disappeared for a few moments, and returned in short order. "Here you go, one spare pillow, extra fluffy." She tenderly inserted it behind Meyrin's head. Even so, the girl winced as her new orientation fell into place.

"Thanks." This also gave her the opportunity to look at her surroundings. She was obviously in an infirmary room, because there was medical equipment everywhere. Even so, the surroundings didn't match what she was used to. "I'm not on the Minerva, am I?"

"No, you're on the Archangel."

The girl completely stopped moving. "Did we lose?"

"No. Not exactly."

"Did we win?"

"No. Not exactly."

"What happened, Cagalli-san?"

The older girl sighed deeply. "All ZAFT, EAF, and ORB forces were beaten to a pulp. Impulse took out ORB's flagship, and most of the mobile suits were either destroyed or disabled. The Minerva also seems to basically be disarmed at the moment."

Meyrin shuddered as beads of sweat ran down her face. "Lumi! Onee-chan! What happened to my sister?"

"Calm down! Calm down! Nothing good will come out of panicking! I'm sure she's fine, because the mobile suit looked intact from where I was sitting. Now just relax. You're not allowed to get stressed out for 3 months, doctor's orders."

"Easy for you to say." The younger girl pinched the bridge of her nose. "I don't even know how I got here. Last thing I remember was the Deuterion Cannon overloading."

"Well without talking to him I don't know the whole story, but it looks like Adam saved you. He slid into Archangel and shoved you into the arms of our chief mechanic before taking off like a bat out of hell. That was exactly one minute before Falcon exploded." Cagalli covered her mouth at the last sentence, realizing the mistake seeing Meyrin lapse into shock.

"H…he's…d…d…dea…."

"He's alive." She said quickly.

Meyrin's brain was completely jumbled as she turned to her companion again. "Start talking, quick."

"One of our pilots picked him up after finding him floating in the water. He's currently in critical condition. He suffered multiple shrapnel injuries from the explosion. Looks like he bailed at the last second. But those don't compare to his throat."

"His throat?"

"We don't know how, but probably when rescuing you, he burned his vocal cords and a part of his lungs. The operation was successful, but he had lost a lot of blood."

"Will he…make it?"

"It's a 90 percent chance of that." Cagalli smiled at her after a short pause.

"Liar." Meyrin turned towards the wall. "Tell me how bad he's off, for real."

"It's up to fate, Meyrin. We've done all we can."

"Fate better be REALLY kind to us, considering all of what's happened. If it doesn't I'm going to go give IT a concussion!" Meyrin raised her fist into the air.

Cagalli chuckled. "At least give me time to sell tickets. Hell I'll help you fight the damn thing if it doesn't."

Both girls laughed it off and continued to talk to each other at the same time that two brown orbs revealed the image of a ceiling to a brain in the next room over.

A numerous amount of MPs and engineering staff crowded around the feet of Impulse as the pilot was lowered by the winch, a serious look of anger etched into his face. He moved forward two steps and put out his wrists in front of him. "Let's get this over with."

"Shinn Asuka, under the Military Code of Law, for multiple offenses including but not limited to Article III, I hereby place you under arrest." The head MP stated and went forward, snapping double-ringed handcuffs onto him. As the MPs started to march out, Shinn turned and went with them without a word or even a look of protest.

In front of the Captain's chambers, Athrun and Luna were leaning against the wall. "But the punishment for something like this is death…."

"Don't you think I know that, Lunamaria?" He looked away painfully.

As the MP's approached with their prisoner, Athrun got off the wall and Luna gasped. The commander hit the doorbell. "Pardon me, ma'am. Shinn Asuka has been put under arrest and we have brought him as you requested." Shinn's hardened look turned to guilt for a moment as he saw Luna, but as they moved into Gladys' room, the façade went back up. Even so, the redhead did not let it go unnoticed.

Talia and Arthur stared at the boy with the angry look on his face. The woman raised her hand and the MP saluted, leaving the prisoner to them. Once the door closed, she spoke. "That look on your face is telling me that you're prepared for the punishment I will give." Shinn said nothing and looked at some remote spot on her table. "I know Ray believed you would, but you did right in returning. But you already knew what would happen if you did, didn't you? That's why you're standing there with that look." A silence took up residence in the chamber for what seemed like an eternity. "You released a prisoner without orders. You fought with crew members. You launched a mobile suit without clearance. You made contact with the enemy. A breach of protocol this stupid has never reached my ears before." Silence moved back in, and it brought a friend, irritation. "The only thing I have to ask is why?"

"Enh?" Arthur twitched, something the captain ignored.

"Were you feeling sorry for that cute face of hers? Love is…."

"She was about to die." Shinn finally spoke, rather flatly. Both senior officers raised their heads a little higher. "Captain, I'm pretty sure you knew that fact already."

"Shinn…!" Arthur warned, not liking his tone.

Ignoring him, he continued on. "EAF Extended or not, Stellar is a human!" If he was going to speak his mind, this was the time. "Everyone's been doing it. You've been speaking of her like just that. Does discussing data gathering difficulties from the autopsy ring a bell? No one on this ship would care if she died. I don't care if the EAF is cruel, but if you do stuff like that, Captain, you'll make us even worse than them!"

"Shinn, hold your tongue!" Arthur furrowed his brow, but the captain raised a hand to stop him.

"But if that's your only justification, I still can't support what you've done. That girl is an EAF Extened. That's the real truth. We were following our orders by HQ to send her to Gibraltar, or at least we were until you acted on your own opinions. That is a disobedience I cannot forgive!" Shinn snarled and his nails bit into his palms as he struggled not to say anything. "This incident will be reported to HQ, and when I receive their decision, I will dole out your punishment at that time. Until then, Shinn Asuka and Ray Za Burrel are both confined to the brig." Shinn said nothing and turned towards the door as the captain pressed a button on her desk. "Guards, escort Shinn to the brig."

The doors opened and Shinn emerged. Arthur left as well, his job as a witness complete. "Shinn." Lunamaria looked on, forgetting the pain in her arm and head for a moment, and seeing his.

As Athrun raced to follow the prisoner caravan, Talia slammed her fist on her desk extremely hard. "DAMN IT!" Luna and Arthur looked in at her frustrated face in shock as the door closed, leaving her to her own pain.

Two brown eyes looked up at the soft lights in the ceiling as the teen they belonged to lie face up. Basically, everything hurt, but especially his lungs when he breathed too deeply. His neck was also rather painful to move, so he didn't really want to aggravate that either, so basically all he could move was his eyeballs. Though human eyes have capable vision on their own, it has its limits. Using all his senses, he judged he was in a hospital bed, strapped to a vital monitor on one side, and on the other side, enough IV fluids in his arms to fill a standard toilet reservoir. He also felt the need to expel some fluids himself, but without a nurse around, he was stuck without a bedpan.

A door slid open behind him. "Eh? Well, what do you know, you're awake. Sorry I wasn't here earlier or else I would have been here when you awoke." A brown haired eighteen year old with violet eyes appeared in his line of sight. "Yo, Adam Cancho."

Adam's eyes went wide. He opened his mouth, but Kira immediately shut it.

"No talking. Your voicebox is damaged and needs time to heal. So absolutely no talking of any kind."

He tried again, but met Kira's hand as resistance.

"No talking. None. Got it?"

Adam let out a breath through his nose and nodded slightly.

"Okay, I'm guessing you have some questions?"

Another nod.

"You're probably wondering where you are."

Adam shook his head.

"Hmm, who was the victor in the fight?"

Another shake.

"How badly you're injured?"

The shaking continued.

"What is it? Throw me a bone here."

Adam just stared at him with a sweatdrop on his forehead. He motioned with his hands that he wanted to write something.

"Huh? Oh yeah, um, paper and pencil, paper and pencil…. Be right back." Freedom's pilot left quickly.

Adam rolled his eyes and thought to himself. 'This guy is really the ace pilot of Jackin Due?'

"Found it!" The brown haired boy said as he burst back into the room. "Here you go."

Adam took the pad and pencil in his hands and, through the aching of his arms, sloppily wrote something down and showed it to the Yamato boy. "Is Meyrin okay?"

Kira blinked. "That was your first thought when you woke up?"

The boy with the sweaty orange hair nodded quickly.

"She's got a bad concussion, but Cagalli tells me she's awake. She'll be out of the game for a while though. Bed rest for 1 week, and then no serious activity for 3 months."

"Amnesia?" He wrote quickly.

"None. Cagalli and she had a good long conversation."

The boy smiled as a tear ran down his cheek.

"You were really worried about her, weren't you?"

Adam nodded slowly, sniffing quickly to stop the flow.

"So, let me fill you in on what happened. First of, the Min…."

Kira's words were cut short when Adam started writing again. It took him a few moments to get all the words down before he handed it in. "Let me guess. I'm aboard the Archangel. ORB, ZAFT, and EAF all got plastered in the battle, some of it done by you. Nice job by the way. (rolls eyes) I survived the explosion of Falcon, of which there is nothing left of, I assume, by bailing out 2.2 seconds before the thing blew itself to hell. I'm covered in shrapnel wounds, and my throat and lungs have been treated for second degree burns. Have I left anything out?"

"Well you did fail to mention that everyone on Minerva thinks you're dead and Meyrin missing, so you're KIA and MIA respectively."

"Great, thanks." Adam rolled his eyes. After a second he stopped and looked away. "Poor Luna. She must really be heartbroken right now."

"Luna?"

"Meyrin's big sister. They really adore each other."

"I see. Once the opportunity presents itself, we'll get a message to ZAFT that you're alive, and we'll send you back."

"You mean we're not prisoners of war?"

"Prisoners? What gave you that idea? Call this a favor for a friend."

"Thank you." Adam closed his eyes and smiled. His eyes flew open and snatched the paper out of the older boy's hand. "AW MAN! They better not auction off my stuff! I've got some really cool junk!"

Kira laughed. "Sorry, I shouldn't be laughing. It's just that, of all things you could have thought about, that came to mind. You need anything right now?"

"Yeah, get me a bedpan. I need to vent some frustration."

Kira gulped. "Um, I think I'll get you a nurse for that one."

The trip to the brig was traditionally a long one, and today was no exception. Shinn noticed that they took him around the deck twice before they made it to the in-ship prison. But the longest moments of the trip were when he passed the first cell, that of Ray Za Burrel. After ushered in to his own cell, his handcuffs were unlocked and he sat down on the rock hard bed, his back against the cell wall that Ray was also leaning on. "Sorry, Ray."

"What are you talking about?"

"Eh? No…but…"

"You have absolutely no reason to apologize to me."

"Huh?"

"I did what I felt like doing." With Ray's statement completed, silence wafted through the room with the cold air that was pumped through the brig. "Did you get her home safely?"

"Unh." The boy nodded instinctively, even though the blonde couldn't see him.

"Well then…I'm really glad for her." Ray smiled.

Shinn let out a sigh, feeling only slightly relieved. "Arigato."

The sound of sliding doors echoed through the gray metal of the chamber of criminals. The footsteps of the one that gained entry stopped at Shinn's cell, revealing the dark blue hair and emerald eyes of a member of FAITH. "Shinn."

The boy turned and talked towards the wall, not caring to look at Athrun. "And just what do you want?"

"No…um…I wanted to say I'm sorry."

"Huh?"

"If I had known that you cared for her I would have…."

"Ah, well it's not like she was important to me in that way." Athrun looked at him in confusion as Shinn continued in disgust. "I just couldn't take it anymore. Stellar was more of a victim than all of us, but everyone just… they just pushed that thought aside and saw her as an EAF Extended. It was as if no one would be faulted if she died."

"Well, that is the truth, after all." Shinn turned to Athrun as he took a disturbed breath. The pilot of the now totaled Savior continued. "She's one of EAF's pilots. Not only that, but we know for a fact she's killed many ZAFT soldiers. Did you ever consider that?"

"But that's…." Shinn shut up for a moment as he gathered his thoughts. "But Stellar never had a choice! We knew what we were going to do when we joined ZAFT, but her case is different than ours!"

"If that's so, then that's another reason why she should never have been sent back. If she has no will to withdraw on her own, things may collapse and she'd again be…."

Shinn stood up and resisted the urge to plunge his hands through the bars and take a hold of the pilot. "So instead of denying her right of choice, you're denying her right to live?"

"I didn't say that! But your actions still don't lead to any solutions!"

"You have no clue how much she was suffering, how scared she was. I could understand if we just ended it for her, but keeping her alive in that tortured state?"

"Shinn!"

"That guy, he made me a promise! A promise that Stellar would be taken to a place that's kind and warm, so far away from the world of war."

"You're using that as a kind of justification to me?"

"I am not ju…."

"Shinn. Shut up already." Ray opened his eyes. Both arguing pilots turned towards his cell slightly. "That's enough out of you too, Athrun. It won't help talking about it now that everything is said and done."

"Ray…" Athrun was slightly taken aback by his tone.

"What's done is done. The future is what is unknown. Both don't mean a thing. Praying and waiting for tomorrow to come is the only thing. That's all anyone can do."

Athrun was completely stunned and immobilized by his depressing statement. Shinn just sighed and sat down again, looking at his dusty boots. "Athrun, when you leave, could you ask Luna to come? I need to talk to her."

Supreme Chairman Gilbert Dullindal once again sat in his office, reading bad news. This time, it was from the Minerva itself, about the defiant pilot, Shinn Asuka. "This certainly complicates matters. With so few working mobile suits on board…. Well," He said as he stood up. "I'll have the entire council on my ass about this one, but I think I can push it through." He moved another chess piece. "The game is getting to its critical phase."

Meanwhile in the Steppes of Russia, Windams and Daggers were buffeted by a strong blizzard as they stood guard over a massive battleship, EAF Ground-based Aircraft Carrier Bonaparte. An interesting choice for a name, considering it was these Steppes and General Winter itself that forced Napoleon back into his empire, utterly defeated. Why would they name such a battleship so poorly?

"This is the commander of the 81st Independent Task Force, Neo Lorrnoke. Bonaparte, are you receiving me?" Neo flew his custom Windam in front of the massive cargo jet he was escorting. "I'm sending the ID code now. I'd like permission to land."

"This is Bonaparte. We have received your ID code confirmation. I welcome you, Colonel. Please continue on your approach."

As the cargo jet landed in the hardened snow and ice, the ship was jostled. The blonde girl in an enclosed medical chamber winced and gasped in pain in the isle. Sting looked at her in annoyance. Within minutes, he and the others were inside the base and the doors were closing, allowing them all to take off their winter jackets. "Keh!" Sting spat as Neo removed his hood. "Again you bring us to some barren wasteland. And what else, you bring this with you." He motioned to Stellar. "You brought this half-dead girl all the way out here, and for what purpose? She's of no use…."

"It's okay. There's a lot you two don't know." Neo interrupted as he started walking again. "For you, there's even more you don't remember."

"Eh?"

"Now it's too late for you to learn them, because it would serve no purpose."

The weather was changing. In the waters of Scandinavia, the Archangel broke the surface to only find snow. "We've completed surfacing. Switching to main thrusters."

"I'm detecting nothing of merit on sensors. Our destination's distance is 90."

Miriallia turned to the window. "It looks really cold out there though."

"It is cold." The navigator chuckled. "The docks on the fjords are always like that."

"That's why we've got an onsen on the Archangel!" The other crewman pushed up his glasses.

"Eh? No way! When did you guys get that installed?"

"When the Archangel was rebuilt, they planned on making her a cruise ship, so it was in the plans."

"Wow. I've just got to take a dip now!"

"Do it when you're off duty, Miriallia-san." Murrue smiled.

"Meany!" She said jokingly.

Inside the dining room of the ship, now doubling as a meeting room, Cagalli sat down with all the defecting members of ORB. "To think that the Province of Scandinavia was hiding you the whole time…."

Cagalli answered quickly. "The only ones that know are His Majesty and his most trusted advisors. I am truly thankful for their help. My father's death is still fresh in their minds." She said these painful words with a smile still on her face.

Amagi spoke up. "When we were attacked by the EAF the first time, they were the first ones to give us aid."

Cagalli's attitude turned glum quickly. "It's hard to ask them for protection now, but they're kind people…like all of you. That's why I risk depending on them now, and I plan on repaying that debt." She said it proudly and surely, and everyone in the room listened intently. "If at all possible, like my father, I wish to be a leader that won't give up hope."

"Cagalli-sama, if you're asking us for your support, you already have it."

"We'll follow you, Cagalli-sama."

"You may not know this, but there are many in ORB that don't like the way the Sieran's are running the show and can't wait for you to return."

"I may not quite get politics, which is probably why I got last place for class president in high school." One of the pilots said with a chuckle that everyone shared. "But even so, anyway you look at it, the EAF is clearly at fault."

"If we leave ORB as a part of the EAF, and this fight continues, then our country will…."

"That's right, it will be ruined again."

"Just what did those idiot Sieran's do?"

"I understand." Cagalli finally spoke through the chatter. "Okay, I get it everyone, but please give me a little time." That quieted the lot down. "I also want to get back home as soon as I can for those of you who stand before me, and those that gave up their lives in Kurata. For Todoka, and Babai, and everyone. So I ask for a bit longer before we can all go home. When that time comes, at that time, I'll ask for all your strength!" She bowed low to the table. "For ORB, I beg of you, let our lion roar eternally!"

"After that speech, how could we say no, Cagalli-sama?"

"We're all in, right guys?" The entire room began to spew praise and support for their young leader.

One week later….

Shinn was bored. Incredibly bored. Bored beyond all boredness. If he were any more bored, he'd be piece of thin wood. He laid back on the floor and looked up. "Hey Ray, you awake over there?"

"Why would I not be?" Ray answered, from the same exact position as his former roommate.

"Just asking. Hey, how many ceiling tiles do you have?"

"24. You?"

"Same. How about floor tiles?"

"64. You?"

Shinn sighed. "Same. Find any cracks in the tile?"

"A few, nothing to make it interesting. How many holes in the ceiling tile did you get? I reached 4381 until I had to start over."

"That high? I only made it to 2739."

"Well, I was half asleep at the time, perhaps I counted them twice without realizing it."

Shinn sighed again. "You know what, Ray? If we get out of here, we really need to get out more."

"I agree with that."

Meyrin sighed contently as she eased her body into the bath. "Ah, this feels nice! God, do I need it after being confined to bed for the past week." The girl now had a room of her own in the ship, and orders to relax as much as she could for the next few months while her brain activity recovered. Her shoulder length pigtails were temporarily no more as she had it tied up in a bun on top of her head. The younger Hawke sank deeper into the onsen just so her lower lip touched the water.

After a few minutes of extacy, the door slid open, and a woman with long brown hair entered. "Mind if I join you."

"You…you…aaahh!" Meyrin pointed. "You're the chief mechanic in ORB that worked on Minerva!"

"Well, that was my cover job." The captain said as she sank into the hot spring. "Captain Murrue Ramius, at your service."

"Captain?" Meyrin put her hand down, amazed. "You didn't seem like the kind of person to be an engineer."

Murrue laughed. "If you only knew."

"Eh?"

"Nevermind, classified stuff. You enjoying the bath?"

"Quite." Meyrin sighed again. "My joints are all stiff from being in bed. I needed this to loosen up. I'd stay here the whole day if I could."

"And how's your head?"

"Sometimes its hard to think, and I get dizzy, but I'm recovering. The doctor still wants me to come in for examinations every so often, and I understand his reasoning, but it's still a nuisance. Which reminds me, thank you for taking care of me until now. Without your kindness, I would most likely not be alive."

"No, no. That's not a problem. I'm sure everyone back home will want to see you, ne?"

"True. I hope my sister won't cry too much when she gets the news I'm alive, or else she'd probably hug me to death next I see her. Do you know when you'll be able to send us back?"

"Um, about that, we're kind of in the middle of our hiding grounds, and we don't want to be discovered as of yet. Once we move out to neutral ground, we'll send the signal and prepare to send you home. So forgive me for making you wait."

"It's okay. You have your reasons, and it's not like I'm going to see anything really important, right? I know security's been tailing me and Adam."

"Right again. Thank you for being so patient with us."

Adam kneeled forward and put his hands together and prayed in front of the memorial. He stood back up, looking at the black slab of smooth stone in front of him with names engraved on it. He didn't expect a room like this to exist on the ship. It was a depressing place all around, but the orange-haired Coordinator felt compelled to pay his respects.

The door slid open behind him, and a girl with sandy hair and turquoise eyes entered. She stopped for a second as she saw Adam, but then she smiled. "So how's our resident miracle doing?"

Adam pulled out his pad and pencil. "Okay for the most part." He wrote. "Most of the stitches came out this morning, but some of the worse injuries still need time to heal. Still am not allowed to talk though."

"That sucks."

"You have no idea."

"Excuse me for a moment." Milly knelt down and prayed. She lifted her head up to the sky and let a tear roll down her cheek.

Adam had finished writing his next message by the time she stood up. "If it's okay to tell me, may I ask what this memorial is for?"

"Sure." She pressed her fingertips against the cold slab. "This is a memorial for all the crew members and friends that died in the first war. I started it, when Tolle was killed." She rubbed the engraving of Tolle Koenig. "Almost everyone has someone who meant a lot to them that died. Mu La Flaga, Natarle Badgiruel, Fllay Alster, and so, so many more."

"Alster. Where have I heard that surname before?"

"Prime Minister Alster of the Earth Alliance during the first war. Fllay was his daughter. What ever you do, don't mention her name in front of Kira. His wounds run really deep with her."

"I see. Sorry if I brought up some painful memories."

"It's okay. I come here to do just that, so I can have an outlet. A way to deal with the pain, I suppose. A video on grief I watched once said: 'Humans will do anything to work through their grief. Most turn to illegal drugs. But the smarter ones turn the pain into creative energy, and create incredible works for those that have passed on.' That's what got me started on this memorial." Adam's color palette inverted once again, shuddering at something unseen. Milly put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, you okay?"

The contact reversed the effect on Adam. "Um, yeah. Just needed a moment there. I think everyone would appreciate it."

"You don't look too good. Maybe you should go to the doctor and have him take a look at you."

"I'm fine. Thanks for worrying."

"You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm all right. Really." He wrote before he walked away, with Milly looking on in deep concern.

"Man, I'm bored." Shinn rolled around in his cell.

"Shinn, stop looking foolish. We're about to have company." Ray said as he straightened up.

"Eh?" Shinn lifted himself onto his bed.

"You can come in already. You've been at that door for the past three days." He looked at the entranceway.

The door slid open and a girl with an arm in a cast walked up to his cell. "Why didn't you say anything then?"

"Luna?" Shinn asked.

The girl ignored him and went on talking with her blonde companion. "You look okay. They treating you correctly in here?"

"Military protocol has been fully enforced. No harm will come to us without the Council's ruling."

"I see."

Silence seemed to like the Minerva, because it once again threw a party in the cell block. "But I'm not the one you came to see, am I?" Ray booted the creature out with his voice.

"Eh?" Luna looked up as Ray nodded and motioned his head towards Shinn. She sighed and set her jaw as she walked over to the next cell over. "Shinn."

"Lunamaria. Thought you'd come sooner. I guess Athrun forgot to tell you what I asked."

"No, he told me."

"Eh? But why…."

"You misunderstand me. You wanted to see me. I didn't want to see you."

"I deserve that." Shinn looked at his feet.

"Why did you d…."

"I'm sorry Luna."

"What are you sorry about? Doing something stupid and getting yourself stuck in that cell? A bit late for that, idiot!"

"Not that! I'm sorry…I was so unfeeling towards you."

"Eh?"

"When I said I couldn't cry anymore, I was lying to myself." He let his head fall, darkening his eyes from view. "I can cry, they just didn't come. The truth is, Luna, I didn't want to admit that she was gone to myself."

"Shinn…." Luna's voice trembled, almost matching his own.

"We were always close in the academy. We did everything together, right? You, me, Ray, Youlan, Vino, and her! We had a great time, right?"

Luna wiped a tear from her eye and she spoke again. "Yes, we had a blast together. We were always the best group. Why are…." Her breath caught in her throat as she saw a droplet of water fall down to the floor behind the bars.

"She was a friend. She was energetic. She was funny. But most importantly she was your sister!" Shinn threw his head back and let the tears stream down his face. "And she loved my best friend. Now they're both gone." He turned his deeply reddened eyes towards the quivering girl on the other side of the bars. "I don't want you to forgive me, Luna. I've been too cruel to you. I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

"Shinn…I…I…."

"I just wish…I wish I could bring them back."

"I…I…" The salty droplets in Luna's eyes started to blur her vision. "I forgive you!" She whispered as she ran out of the brig.

"Tori!" The little green metallic bird on Kira's shoulder chirped. He paid no attention to it as he stood on the observation deck, staring blankly at the bleak snowstorm falling into the ocean.

Footsteps came up behind him. "Mind if I join you?"

"Murrue-san. Sorry, I've been slacking off lately." He sighed as the woman stood next to him.

"It's fine. Just as long as you're good to go when it really counts. After all, again you're working hard all alone."

"Eh?"

"You okay?"

The friendly atmosphere between the two of them was instantly sucked out. Silence replaced it as Kira turned to the world outside again. "Not really. I've been trying to figure out why things turned out like this. Why am I Athrun's enemy again?" Murrue sighed before he continued. "Are we doing the wrong thing? If what Athrun said was true, the Chairman might really be a kind man and that Lacus was targeted mistake or something like that."

"Tori!" The little bird chirped, not letting Silence make a home where the pause in Kira's speech resided.

"If what we've been doing has been the stupid thing… the wrong thing…."

"Kira-kun, I don't think that trying to protect someone important is stupid or wrong."

Their friendship re-emerged on their partially smiling faces. "Eh?"

"I'm not too sure about world affairs, I'm sure there are those out there who love this world because there's always someone dear to them."

"Murrue-san…."

"Actually, I'm positive everyone feels just like that. And that's why they give it their all… and fight. But the way they go about doing, or more accurately thinking of their approach, is quite different. Even if their world exists only because of that precious one." Kira looked away, seeing the twinge of pain in her eyes that she was trying to hide as memories of Mu La Flaga surfaced in her heart. "Athrun-kun probably wants to protect, just like we do. That's exactly why it's harder to understand. But I think, no, I know that you two will join together as you were once again. So cheer up, and don't give up. Be yourself and give all you can."

"Hai, Murrue-san."

"Ne?" She said with a smile on her face as she ruffled his hair, even though he was taller than her.

"Okay, okay. I get it. I get it!"

They both giggled for a little bit as a third person approached, quietly. He handed a notepad to them, and they looked to see Adam standing there, looking away. Kira picked it up and read it aloud. " 'Sorry for listening in, I didn't intend to. I think, or rather I thought that what you were doing was dumb before. But I understand you now, and I'm sorry I ever looked at you in that light. I still think that Chairman Dullindal is a good man, and a wise one. I know how it feels to protect that special someone, and I agree this conflict needs to be ended before it gets out of control. As long as the one I love is on this ship, I'll fight alongside you.' Eh?"

"Adam-kun, but you…." The captain blinked at him, but stopped when he saluted her. She saluted back. "At ease, or you might hurt yourself. And welcome aboard."

On the Bonaparte, Sting and Stellar woke up, fully refreshed and fully wiped. As about 30 Windams took positions on the battleship, the two met up with Neo at a boarding platform. Stellar had an enhanced version of flight suit. "Stellar, this is your new unit." He motioned towards the black gargantuan creation.

"Uh? Stellar's?"

"Ah. Stellar will fight again using this. Otherwise creepy things will come trying to kill us." With those words, Neo's promise to Shinn was broken.

"Kill us?" She was scared now. "Stellar too?" At that, Neo just nodded. "Neo too?"

"Correct." He whispered, knowing just who would be coming to kill him, but it wasn't the enemy.

"No!" She buried her face in his arm. "Not that! I don't want to die!"

He cupped her cheek with his gloved hand. "Then please, you have to do it. You can do it, right? Get rid of the scary things, so it can be safe for us."

"The scary things…get rid of them…." Her internal conditioning kicked in and her resolute side emerged. Sting looked on with a hint of jealousy in his eye.

The massive tank started moving forward, with battle helicopters taking off as well.

Burt, temporarily filling in Meyrin's old position, turned to the captain as she reviewed the repair roster. "Incoming priority one transmission from HQ, coded for the captain."

"Eh?" Arthur blinked.

"I'll take it in my chambers. Arthur, you're coming too."

"Uh…hai!" They quickly went into the elevator and walked into her office. "I'm wondering what they've decided to do with Shinn."

"I haven't got a clue. The norm would be death by a firing squad. But knowing his achievements, the Council will probably reduce the severity of his sentence."

Mobile Suit Operation System

/ G. F. A. S. ver 1.3/

Gigantic

Unilateral

Numerous

Dominating

AMmunition

G.U.N.D.AM Fortress

O.M.N.I. Enfarcer

Stellar giggled as her new machine started up. The cables snapped off of the black body as buzzers blared in the hangar. "Living CPU, linkage complete." The large dome on the top of the Bonaparte began to open, and the Gundam's red eyes flashed to life. "Emergency personnel, please stand by. X1 Destroy, platform and gate have been released." Stellar hit the throttle, and four engines along its large surface lifted the huge machine from the inside of the ship. Revealed to all now, was the most dangerous thing in existence. X1 Destroy, a Gundam five times the size of any other Gundam in its mobile armor form. Its black and red armor shone in contrast of the white snowfall that instantly melted when it touched the armor. Its long legs were more like a bird's claws, easily able to step on anything in its way. Its almost UFO-like ring housed its engines, and two compartments for its poseable side weapons. Just above the eyes was a strange turquoise crystal, and on the back of the UFO, stretching far over the front, were two double barrel cannons. It was a pure mechanical monster.

As it approached a Russian city, the ZAFT forces stationed there rolled out. Lesseps class battleships were on their way, with GaZOOT and BaCOE mobile suits leading the way. Out of the side of the Bonaparte, two mobile suits emerged from a conveyer belt. A green Gundam, and a purple Windam. "Yosh! We'll sortie too." Neo said as he went through his checklist.

"Yeah, but why is it that she's flying in that thing and not me?" Sting sneered at the communications screen.

"Hmm?"

"I'm way better than that half-retarded shit-for-brains."

"It's her natural talent."

"Huh?"

"Stellar is more compatible according to the data we gathered." He lifted his head. "Neo Lorrnoke, Windam, deluzo!"

"Tch!" Sting spat. "Sting Oakley, Chaos, hashin salu!" Both suits rose to the sky, joining the others in formation behind the massive weapon.

The captain pressed her fingers to the ID scanner to unlock the message. "There's also our punishment from not keeping the event from occurring."

"Um…yeah. I forgot about that." Arthur slumped as the captain pulled up the message.

"Eh?"

"Huh?"

"Get up!" An MP said to Shinn as he unlocked the cell. "The captain wants to have a word with you."

"Eh?" Shinn said quietly as he and Ray were let out of their cages.

" 'We regret the loss of the captured Extended, who escaped and died. After much deliberation and taking into account the previous achievements as well as the wartime situation, this case will not be prosecuted any parties involved.' EH?" Arthur took a massive step back after reading the letter aloud. "Wh…what the hell is this? What does it mean?"

"It means a full pardon! What is going on up there?" Talia looked up.

In his office, Chairman Dullindal moved another chess piece and smiled. "I'm not willing to sacrifice my knights just yet." He chuckled, and then winced. "Ow, my ass!"

Two massive forces, one EAF, one ZAFT, on course to an inevitable collision and battle in the middle of a Russian Winter. Hell sent its representative to this place, and the gates to its home had begun to open. ZAFT fired the first shots. Six cannons fired on the mountings on the battleship sending the same number or green energy beams at the biggest weapon ever created, next to GENESIS. GaZOOTs took their cue and fired all their missiles and beam weapons. BaCOEs either fired missiles or beams into the enemy from their back-mounted cannons. The Destroy's forehead gem glowed purple, and the energy it produced spread out into a web of blue and red energy. All weapons that impacted it either deflected or exploded harmlessly. The Destroy was Positron Reflector equipped.

"HhhhaaaaaaaaAA!" Stellar yelled as she activated a weapon, which happened to be the mounted double barrel cannons. They lowered over its metallic shoulders and the sights locked on. Particle energy gathered inside the long tubes and it fired four beams of pink and blue energy across the entire approaching fleet, slicing through the battleship like it was butter. It wouldn't stop. The cannons also cut a large swath into the city, taking out civilians by the hundreds. It was the worst case scenario. Not just one Positron Cannon was aimed at a city, but four of them. All four belonging to Destroy.

Hellfire had been lit across the city. No amount of snow could put these fires out. As green and purple looked over the shoulders of black, Sting was in complete disillusionment. What Stellar had done in a few seconds would take him a week. And it wasn't even close to being over.

Shinn and Ray walked down the hall unescorted amidst whispers from others. "He wasn't prosecuted?"

"Eh? No way! Even after all that?"

"Did HQ give that order?"

"It's because he's a Super Ace."

Entering the lounge with a straight face, Vino was the one who saw him first. "Uh? Shinn! Hey man, you're okay! Thank God!" He gave his good friend a hug and mussed up his hair.

Athrun turned towards him, and Luna stood up, cradling her damaged arm and watching the freed boy with a softer look than before. "Sorry to worry you so much." Shinn said to Athrun.

"Huh?"

"It's all taken care of now." The boy said with his head slightly tilted to one side, with a look of dominance etched into his face and unwavering eyes. "I should thank you for everything."

"Not at all." Athrun said, not sure what the expression was that he was looking at.

Missiles and beams continued to target the massive beast. As soon as they got close enough, three Babi suits fired their chest cannons at the monstrosity; they had zero effect as the energy dispersed. An anti-battleship tank came at it from a perpendicular street, trying to be unnoticed, but the creation lowered its poseable weapon on that side and fired a rifle shot straight into it. A BaCOE bounded towards the demon and jumped. The poseable arm glowed the same color as the gem on its forehead, and smacked the poor dog away. Stellar mercilessly stepped on the downed suit, crushing the person inside. "Gyyaaaaahhh!" As it took up a good defendable position, Stellar launched missiles from the front and back of both pods next to the cannons on its UFO shield. The missiles didn't care what they hit. They hit mobile suits, they hit BaCOEs, they hit buildings, streets, and people, disposing of them all with high yield explosive payloads. The entire sky and ground was coated in explosions.

Captain Ramius, Kira, and unwittingly, Adam entered the bridge as the older woman continued telling a story. "Then I got all embarrassed and I…" An alert came up and silenced her.

"Captain, Terminal has sent out a Code Black Emergency!"

"Eh?"

DINNs came flying in as reinforcements. The arms of the mobile armor broke off and revealed that they were actually weapons pods, controlled wirelessly. As the DINNs took to the offensive against them with machine guns and rifles, one spread its Reflector. The other sent five green blasts into one of the DINNs, each beam hitting it with accuracy. The other one was shortly disposed of by the same technique of divide and conquer. Noting that the pods being in the air, ZAFT ordered a ground assault by more GaZOOT, which peppered the behemoth with vulcan bullets. Stellar looked down at them with hatred. The red holes on the sides of the UFO shield erupted into 20 fully rotating blasters, aiming at anything that threatened it. The explosions that were set off disintegrated and swept away hundreds of more civilians. This battle was a complete massacre. Stellar said nothing as she looked at the glow of the fires she had set. The red eyes of the Destroy Gundam glowed evilly as its shadow was darkened by the light of the flames, standing in that one spot like a demon of death waiting for the next suicide to come to it.

"Captain!" Burt turned to the blonde woman as fast as possible. "HQ has just sent an emergency transmission!"

"Eh?"

"The EAF has started a massive crusading offensive in Central Eurasia. Reports are saying that three cities have been completely wiped off the map. All ZAFT forces are to proceed with countermeasures!"

"What did you say?" The captain blinked in complete disbelief.

The entire bridge crew and Adam looked on the screen. Not a single breath was taken as Hell's Representative stood before the camera, daring anyone to oppose it. "This is…." Murrue finally said.

"No way…." Both Kira and Cagalli whispered.

In the deserts of southern Eurasia, a curly red-haired teen looked at the same picture. "This time they've gone too far!" Alan yelled as he whipped around and grabbed his flight suit. As he quickly donned it, he spoke to his mobile suit. "ShEZAMS, I really need you to work right today." He mounted the improved Drunken Breaker onto its shoulders and hopped into the cockpit. As he turned on the OS, he picked up the white METEOR pack and attached it as well. "Its weapons may not be ready yet, but I can still use it to fly!" The METEOR's engines spun to life and concentrated their angle. "Alan Sheridan, ShEZAMS, punch it!" The cut-and-shut suit took to the air at breakneck speeds.

Shinn's look turned into one of sarcasm, hatred, and superiority all rolled into one. "Apparently HQ have a few people that think the way I do."

"Eh?" The conflict between Athrun and Shinn was beginning to boil.

"What I'm saying is what you call 'righteousness' isn't completely true. Well, then." Shinn waved and left.

Ray saluted. "Please excuse us."

Kira's knuckles turned white as he balled his fists tightly. "I'm going out, Murrue-san!"

"I get it! Go!"

The door opened to the elevator and he instantly went in. As the door was closing, Adam put his hand in the doorway and stepped in. He let it close after he was in. "Just what are you doing, Adam?"

Adam just stared at him.

"No! You're not going!"

Adam just stared at him.

"You're in no condition to…."

Adam just stared at him.

"How are you going to fight…."

Adam just stared at him.

"I'm telling you you're not going to sortie!"

Adam held his paper up to the teen's face. "There's no way I'm letting this go untouched. I'm going out even if I have to steal a mobile suit. The way I go out is up to you. Easy or hard way, your choice."

"Haven't you heard a word I just said?"

Adam just stared at him.

Stellar stepped on a broken Babi amongst the flames. "To stop the creepy things…that want to kill me…I'll annihilate EVERYTHING!"

Chapter 20 Preview: The devil has emerged, bringing with it the flames of the underworld. Its power is too much. Will opposing forces join to defeat the greatest enemy they've ever faced? Or will all be thrown into madness in front of the girl who remembers none of their kindness? Has the world become a place of fear? As their swords cut through each others wishes, what will be accomplished? Next time on Old Friends Anew: Stellar. Burn your light into the darkness of the chaotic skies, Murasame, ShEZAMS!


	20. Old Friends Anew Ch 20

Old Friends Anew

Phase-20: Stellar

The demon of death drew nearer to the next city in the dark snow, one that would have the most devastating effect in Eurasia. Berlin was under attack. The positron reflector shone in the dark night as valiant efforts went to waste upon it. Civilians ran through the wreckage in panic, trying desperately to get away. "Mama!" A lone boy cried as BaCOEs drove past him.

Tanks made a front line and fired electrical blasts at the enemy. "UTEI! Keep firing!"

Every mobile suit within miles was scrambled to fight the horrid creature, but their numbers were dwindling fast. It had gotten so bad that GuAIZ pilots were the ones barking orders as they fired their rounds. "Don't let up! We can't let it take the city!"

The Lesseps cruiser in the city fired cannons at the metallic demon that did absolutely nothing of value. "Gwwwaaaahhh!" Stellar cried out as she activated the twenty green beams on the UFO saucer.

"GUH!"

"AAAGHH!" Twenty mobile suits were pierced. Their pilots screaming in pain before they were no more. The blasts spread around wildly, causing mass devastation, sweeping up and killing anything and everything in its path, including civilians.

Destroy dropped the two double-barreled cannons over its shoulders and fired the positron shots. They cut through the battleship like it was nothing. It exploded seconds later. Destroy and Stellar hovered over the flames she caused as the Bonaparte and the sortied Windams and Chaos hung back. Sting looked away. "Keh!" He was jealous, insanely jealous.

"Eeeeaaayyyy!" Stellar's battle cry was unending as missiles scattered everywhere. Gunner Zaku Warriors, BaCOEs, GINNs, DINNs, and GaZOOTs all started pulling back to get to favorable ground. None of them escaped the barrage of missiles. Mothers, fathers, children, and pets all perished in the slaughter.

Jibril stood with a glass of blood red wine in his hand and threw his head back in laughter as he watched the scenes broadcast. All of his associates were on other screens as well, and he turned to the video link and raised his glass in a toast. "What do you think, gentlemen? Incredible isn't it? Destroy, that is."

All of the others he conferenced with did not share his enthusiasm. "That is definitely true. It flattens everything, leaving only char and rubble."

"Just how many cities do you plan on vaporizing this way?"

Jibril answered with a serious smile on his face. "As much as it takes. If ZAFT exists, it will continue. We'll give everyone that ally with the wrong side a reminder. Naturals aren't Coordinators, and nothing will change that. Those who forget or betray us will be sent to the deepest pits of hell."

Stellar's rage couldn't distinguish military and civilian any more. She fired at anyone and anything around that wasn't an EAF suit. A group of running women carrying their children? A blaster shot from its arm pod splattered them across the pavement. A disabled BaCOE where the pilot was attempting to abandon it? Bubblegum on its bird-like claws.

"Papa! I'm scared!" A little girl spoke to her infantryman father.

"Me too, sweetie. Me too." He rubbed her hair.

A woman in the small group they were in screamed. "Look out!" A green beam hurtled towards them.

The man held his daughter close. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect her, Annie!" The hot beam of energy flashed for a moment, but then disappeared. There was no explosion, there was no death. He looked up. In the middle of the beam's path, was an orange and brown mobile suit, its shield in front of its metallic body. "M…Murasame?"

The suit turned its head towards the group and waved its arm backwards, telling them to get away. Adam looked at them get to safety through his yellow helmet. 'That was close. I'm glad I made it in time.' He turned to the colossal suit. 'Now for this thing!' Adam's borrowed Murasame, Waltfeld's custom one, took to the sky and went to rendezvous in the gray sky.

Alarms went off in Stellar's, Neo's, and Sting's cockpits. One cloud twisted open as a swirling beam of red and blue light cast down upon Destroy. Stellar gasped as she re-activated her reflector. It bounced dispersed off just in time. "Nani? I felt that hit!"

Out of the deep snow-saturated clouds came a heroic shade of blue diving full bore at the ogre with its wings spread. Sting's jaw fell open as he gasped, and Neo was taken off guard. "Freedom!" Slowly piercing through the veil of smoke that Destroy caused, the Archangel emerged, with a small orange and brown jet taking point. "Tch! Them again?" Neo wasn't going to keep back with them around.

As Kira zoomed forward he whipped out his rifle and fired a blast at close range right under its eyes. The beam was deflected. He flipped over and backed away, with a look of disbelief cast over his shoulder. "How can something so huge exist? Adam, your run!" He began giving some cover fire.

The orange-haired Coordinator pushed his throttle to maximum. Going into a roll he fired the rifle on his wing and the one housed in his rudder. Seeing that they also had no effect, the Murasame turned tail and fired a missile out of its rear housing. The explosion didn't even leave a scratch. 'That thing is a damn fortress!' He thought as he started to regroup.

Stellar hissed. "Just what the hell … are you two?" Her hatred was followed by twenty midoric beams.

"Ungh!" Kira yanked out his beam saber and batted a few of the beams aimed at him away as he went forward.

Adam spiraled around the weapons that were trying to get a bearing on him. One started to get close, and he fired his own rudder-encased weapon at it, deflecting the shot away. Doing this twice more, he went in for another shot. "Tch!"

The purple Windam flew over the black Gundam's shoulder and fired a shot at Freedom, one that he had to break away from the charge to avoid. "Watch out, Stellar!"

"Neo!"

"Forget about the other one, that white one is Freedom! It's a tough one!"

"Eh?" Stellar's computer scanned the mobile suit that was heading towards her. "I don't care what you are." She flipped a switch on her control board. "I definitely WIIIIILLLL…!"

The colossus's waist rotated a full 180 degrees. Kira spread his wings and stopped in midair, while Adam's Murasame had to flip into mobile suit mode before halting. The joints in the Destroy's arms reversed as they flipped over and went down to the sides of the legs. Sting took in a stunned breath as he saw what was happening. The Destroy's UFO-like shield lifted over its head and attached like a backpack. The Gundam's real eyes were revealed, an enraged green with a red boarder. The mouth plating was dark gray, and the armor around the head was pitch black and held four vulcan cannons. Not only that, but the mouth itself held a small positron cannon, to match the three full size ones on its chest.

The Destroy stretched out into full the full upright position, and Cagalli gasped in her seat while the captain spoke. "That thing is…."

'A mobile suit?' Adam thought, his eyes trembling.

"Hrreeeaaaahhhh!" In a demonstration of its pure power, all four of Destroy's positron cannons charged up, firing straight for Freedom and Murasame. Both boys gasped and scattered before it came near them. But energy can't tell when something is a target and what isn't. It just keeps on going in a straight line until it's slowed to a stop or transformed into another type of energy. This is exactly what happened when it tore into the capital building. The heat from the beams itself was so overwhelming that the buildings melted that were in the path.

As the smoke started to clear the devastation was revealed, and everyone that could find a window or video monitor in the Archangel had their breath taken away at the horrific scene. "Damn it! Why are you doing this!" Kira gunned his thrusters.

"So I'm just a little speck to you, huh?" To say that Sting was pissed would be an understatement. He finally had a chance to get his revenge on the mobile suit that took him out last time, and Stellar was hogging Freedom's attention. He fired a shot at the suit, in which he spun away from.

"Tei!" Neo also closed in and tried to catch Kira in the crossfire with a rifle shot. A Murasame came up behind Freedom and blocked the shot. "Nani?"

'The odds are overwhelmingly bad here, but I can at least give Kira some bit of an advantage.' Adam drove towards the Windam with his blaster drawn.

As all four clashed in the sky, Stellar stretched out Destroy's hand, and the blasters in its fingertips lanced through the air at the two enemy suits. As they dodged beams from all three suits, Archangel floated behind them, watching the scene. Murrue gripped the handles of her chair tightly. "Cover them! Gottfried, prepare to fire!" The portside cannon rotated to get a bearing. "TEI!"

"Ungh?" Sting gasped as the massive energy weapon painted the sky a powerful green. He switched to mobile armor form as he barreled away.

"Tch!" Neo gritted his teeth as he throttled backwards as fast as possible, letting Destroy come to the front.

"Hhrraaaahhh!" Stellar cast the field around her mobile suit and the energy dispersed in all different directions upon impact.

"Eh? It got deflected?" Murrue gasped.

Cagalli ripped off her headset and turned to the captain. "I'm heading out too! At this rate, Kira and Adam…."

The internal communications screen on the bridge opened up. "Cagalli-sama!" Amagi was the one on the other side. "I ask that you let us sortie too."

"Eh? Lieutenant Amagi?"

"We know this battle may not be for ORB, but doing nothing in the face in such events is a travesty!"

"Grrrrreeeeeeehhhh!" Destroy spread out its arms and its hands launched, instantly turning into heavily armed and extremely dangerous mobile armor pods.

"Kgh!" Kira's teeth were grinding as he tried to anticipate the movements of the pods, dancing around the beams as much as possible.

Adam and Neo were locked in a sword and shield battle of desperation. "This guy is good!" Neo snarled.

'This Windam…is the commander that ambushed us in the Indian Ocean. Why is he….' Adam gasped. 'No way. The pilot of that monster is an Extended?' He kicked Neo away and fired a rifle shot at him, in which the opponent flipped over to avoid.

"Yosh! We're going!" Cagalli stood up and agreed with Amagi's request.

As she got near the captain's chair, Ramius stopped her. "You sure about this?"

"Like we can leave this as it is?" She dashed off.

Deep in the council chambers of PLANT, they were listening to a report from ZAFT military HQ. "It's useless. We've lost all contact with Gardier squad. The target is in the middle of Berlin. Gibraltar has been asking again and again for a response to this. I'll be honest, it's a madhouse down here. I'll report again in an hour." The screen went blank.

"Just what is the meaning of this? Doing something so atrocious without even advanced warning!"

"They're just leveling cities randomly, without discrimination! I can't believe that they're even sane!"

"There are only a few men left of the forces occupying those cities. Chairman, I recommend that we retreat and regroup."

The entire council was whispering about the decision to each other as Dullindal's mouth hid behind his intertwined hands. "But what do you plan on doing by retreating? This isn't just about to resolve itself. If we leave that thing alone it will just massacre more cities, and in the end, come after us when we're the least prepared." Everyone paused. "Where's the Minerva located at right now?"

"Currently heading towards Berlin at top speed after receiving orders from HQ." On said ship, Shinn sat down in the mission lounge in full flight suit, with a data-pad in his hand. "But that ship isn't doing so well at the moment. It's of my opinion that they won't be able to offer much assistance in their current state."

"It may be true…." The Chairman rose and spoke loudly. "But they're the best we have! Unless it's stopped right now, that monster will continue desecrating cities one by one." Silence had found a new home in the council room, and it threw a welcoming party. "Something of this magnitude can never be forgiven!"

The familiar Miriallia's voice came as a bit of a relief to the engineering team as they got Strike Rouge hooked into the catapult. "APU activating. Catapult connecting." As the locks held its metallic feet in place, the lift-cage pulled back. "Selection complete, Aile Strike pack equipment procedures starting." The wings slid down from above and attached to Cagalli's unit. "Aile Striker, standby." The beam rifle was placed into its right hand, and the shield latched onto the left. "System: All Green. Strike Rouge, you're good to go! Dozo!"

Bee, bee, bee, boooooooooooo. The final checklist completed. "Cagalli Yula Athha, Strike Rouge! Iguzo!" The catapult released its clamps and Strike Rouge was sent soaring out of the bay, the umbilical cable yanked out in the process, per the norm. The wings locked into their normal positions, and the final touch of red and pink Phase Shift armor coated its metallic frame.

Meanwhile, back into the catapult, one of the three Murasame waiting in the queue was wheeled into the catapult in jet form. After the bay doors closed and the thrust gate was raised, Milly spoke again. "Murasame, Ikeya's unit, you're cleared. Dozo!" Three Murasame shortly followed their country's leader.

Sting and Neo were becoming more and more annoying in an attempt to defend Stellar. Adam pulled out a beam saber and took two swings at Chaos, trying to hit him, but not it being a priority. Adam just moved him out of the way enough for Kira, who extended all five of his beam weapons and took the shot at Destroy. Stellar braced herself, and the shield deflected all of the beams away, down into buildings and streets. The amputated hands of the demon of death flew through the skies and ganged up on Freedom, sending blasts in groups of five at different intervals and directions. Kira's skills were just enough to evade getting shot. "Kggh!" He snarled as his cockpit rumbled around him.

'Kira!' Adam wanted to cry out, but his voice box was still too damaged to permit speech. His Murasame dove forward with its beam saber drawn. He got behind the thrusters of one of the hands and matched it move for move. 'Heh. This thing can't hurt me if I'm behind it. All its weapons are up front, and the Reflector is on the top. I have it now!' Just then, the third blaster in the black devil's hand folded over, pointing its weapon port at the orange Murasame. 'Nani?' Adam barrel rolled away just before the weapon went off. 'Okay, if I didn't know better, I'd say that thing just gave me the finger.'

Sting decided to be pesky again. "Eat this!" He fired both the vulcans from his shield and the blaster in the other hand, heading directly for Freedom. Kira sidestepped it just in time. "A mobile suit isn't all about what the machine can do! I'll take you down with my skill!"

"Kuso!" Both Freedom and Chaos exchanged blaster fire as they circled around each other.

'Damn it, these things are a real handful!' Adam's mind continued to race as he weaved between beams. 'If I get too close, I'LL wind up as the handful though!' He broke through the beam assault and headed straight for the one person Stellar wouldn't attack: Neo. They clashed swords again.

The three Murasame broke formation and descended upon Chaos, their blasters releasing their payloads as fast as possible. Sting grunted as he blocked one with a shield and tried to take a shot at a passing jet. "Kira-sama!" One of the pilots called to Sting's opponent. "We'll handle things here! Take out that creature!"

"Eh?"

"Daijobu, Kira!" Cagalli was next on the transmission screen as her red version of his old mobile suit floated next to him. "Leave this to us!"

After a moment of pause, her brother smiled. "Okay. I'm counting on you!" He switched transmissions. "Adam, take care of my little sister!"

Adam saluted as he let out a soundless chuckle. Cagalli shook Strike Rouge's metallic fist at Freedom as it flew towards Destroy again. "Oi! I'm the big sister! BIG sister!"

Adam typed a message to her. "So big sister princess, looks like I'm your body guard. What is thine command?" He pulled up next to her, batting away a stray shot with his saber.

"Quit being obnoxious for one. And second, let's start evacuating whoever is left."

"Understood."

"The rest of you, keep Chaos busy!"

"Ma'am!" The three acknowledged. Ikeya started on the offensive. "Let's go, Gou, Nishizawa!"

"Sir!"

They all turned formation and transformed, firing their rifles from above as they descended on Chaos. "Kuso." Sting hissed as he pulled the shield over Chaos's head, trying to evade the shots at the same time.

As if this fight wasn't hell enough, a third side joined the fight. A third side that had red trim on its gray wings, and a banged up hull. The Minerva was approaching. "Distance to target: 40."

"We have a visual!" Burt said as he patched it through to the main screen.

"Gwah!" Arthur almost gagged on the air. No one could blame him.

"I'm not getting anything from the frontline base. Eh?" Burt switched to a different screen. "We've got multiple heat signatures. This is… Freedom!"

"Eh?" That got both Talia and Arthur's attentions.

As Stellar fired her positron cannons again, Kira flipped over and fired his similarly colored shoulder cannons, which Destroy used its arm shield to block. "There's also Chaos, multiple Windams," Chaos continued to dodge the attacks of the three brown and white suits, barely getting off any counterattacks. "ORB Murasames, and Strike Rouge." Cagalli was blocking blaster hits with her shield while Adam moved some rubble that was blocking the path of those that the princess was protecting. "I'm also detecting the Archangel!"

The blonde woman sighed. "No way! Why is that ship here?" Arthur flinched again.

"Archangel lives up to its namesake as the Champion of Justice I suppose. Aiding anyone that cries for assistance." The captain mumbled.

"Captain…."

"Issue Condition Red! Prepare for an anti-mobile suit offensive!"

Arthur tried to gather himself as he stiffened completely. "H…hai!"

Burt announced in place of the now KIA Meyrin as the bridge was lowered into its safer location. "Condition Red issued! Condition Red issued! Pilots please stand by in your units!"

In the pilot's lounge, Shinn looked at the data gathered so far on Destroy. "This may just work." Ray, Athrun, and Lunamaria watched him curiously, but he didn't really care.

"Pilots please stand by in your units!"

Shinn stood up and without a word, turned towards the door. "Shinn!" Luna said, worry in her voice.

"Shinn." The video monitor turned on, and the captain was on the other end.

"What is it, Captain?" He asked as he approached.

"The battle's a bit more crazy than we thought. We can't connect to the frontline base at all, so we can assume they're wiped out. Not only that, but Freedom and the Archangel are engaging the enemy."

"Hwa?"

"Kira." Athrun whispered, his position completely frozen.

"No way!" Shinn snarled. "Why would they stick their noses…?"

"I have no idea what their reasoning is. Just make sure you know who your enemy is in this fight, Shinn." She knew full well of his hatred for that ship. "I know we're at a power disadvantage here, but that gargantuan eyesore must be stopped no matter what! I know that HQ has a high accord of you. Make them proud, please." With that the transmission ended.

Shinn looked over his shoulder. Red met green as he stared at Athrun, Shinn reveling at the words that were once said to the pilot he now observed. Shinn said nothing as he headed for the door. "Shinn!"

"Be careful." Luna whispered.

"Reeeaaaaahhhh!" Stellar's screams echoed through her cockpit as every hand beam she had fired simultaneously.

"Kgh!" Kira was getting stressed out as he tried to fit through the barrage, barely making it.

"Haaaaaaaahhh!" She fired her massive missile barrage.

Kira wasn't going to hold back any more. He willed his seed to shatter and his eyes turned into the pure purple of his berserker self. Freedom extended all of its weapons at the missiles that were closing in on him, and fired without even waiting for the targeting computer. The nearness of the explosions made the Archangel's captain worry. "Kira-kun!" She slumped back into her seat as she saw his escaping jet trail.

"That thing is a real monster." The navigator tried to keep his hands from trembling.

His radar-operating companion agreed. "And we can't risk firing the Lohengrin inside a city. Besides, I don't think it would do any good against that thing."

"Kuso!" Neo went on the attack. "I won't let you get close to her!"

A chill went up Kira's spine a moment before the blasts were to hit. He dodged them both. "That Windam's fighting style…why does it seem…?"

Chaos danced around two shots. "Eeehhh!" Firing twice at a passing Murasame before almost getting clipped by another rifle blast. Basically he was losing ground at an accelerated rate.

Destroy had amputated its hands again and they were in full mobile armor mode, attempting to coordinate their attacks on the SEEDed Kira. He danced around the beams as they fired in succession and returned fire with all five of his powerful weapons. Once again they were deflected into buildings, increasing the damage to the city. When the appendages rejoined the body, she tried to fire at him in close range. Stellar was getting far too stressed for her own good as she tried her best to get rid of all the creepy things that were trying to kill her. "Kgh. Hrrreeeaaaaaaahhhh!" As her mouth opened, the cannon embedded in Destroy's face went off.

Bee, bee, bee, buzzzzz! "Shinn Asuka, Core Splendor! Ikkimas!" The black-haired Coordinator, and the only ZAFT pilot around with a working unit, gunned the engines and launched as fast as he could.

Instantly radar on all sides of the battle were ablaze with four blips following in a straight line. Adam went wide eyed. 'I know that radar shadow!' He took off from his position in the rubble and flew to a better vantage point.

"Heat sources incoming!" Miriallia was yelling over the battle's explosions. "Number: Four! This is… Impulse!"

All four of its parts formed together, creating the Force Impulse, its four colored scheme coating around its gray armor. Shinn dove forward, into the battle. "Haaaaaahhh!"

"Also, Minerva has just come into scanner range!"

The two captains stared at the other's ship. Talia's gaze was unwavering. "I would have hoped for a united front, but that's next to impossible considering our circumstances."

Shinn drew his beam saber and dove for the enemy mobile suit. Stellar fired all of her positron cannons at him, which he danced around. As he began to close in, at the last second Stellar used her fingers and created a web of beams. He had to pull back so he wouldn't be cut to ribbons by the blasts. "Kuso! This is going to be tougher than I thought!"

Just then an orange Murasame pulled up next to him. 'It IS Impulse!' Adam smiled noiselessly. Seeing what his best friend was up to before, Adam pulled out his own beam saber and put it into the opposite hand.

"Eh?" Shinn looked at the suit. Adam made the mobile suit nod. "I don't really get it, but I got it! Here we go!" Adam and Shinn took towards Destroy, side by side. The two side cannons on Destroy's chest fired, and the mobile suits changed their formation in unison as they curved around the beams. They joined up together again as they continued on their journey.

'Please notice. Please notice!'

"That Murasame, he's matching me move for move, just like…no, I'm just imagining things. He's gone." Shinn shook it off and continued forward. They tried to dance around the Destroy to see if they could get the arms into a different position. The strategy failed, and the web of beams went up again, so neither of them could make the strike. Both of them backed away. "Kuso! I can't even get near this bastard!"

A wavering orange beam struck Destroy in the back, right in one of the double barreled cannons mounted there. Stellar cringed. "Nani?" The entire world stopped for a full second.

"I…I know that shot!" Arthur exclaimed.

Both Burt and Miriallia had blinks on their screens. Their words matched up perfectly. "Incoming unidentified mobile suit. Radar shadow unknown. But its equipment…my God, it's a METEOR!"

"Eh?" Both Captain's mouths hit the floor in shock.

Alan Sheridan, and his cut-and-shut mobile suit, ShEZAMS had arrived. "Yahoo! Here comes the cavalry! Late for the party as usual, but just in time for the tango!" The safety lock on his Drunken Breaker released and the buster sent out another blob of orange light into Destroy, which was this time deflected by the Positron Reflector.

"Th…that mobile suit!" Arthur stuttered.

"You know it, Arthur?" Gladys watched him intently.

"Y…yes ma'am. The pilot must be the one who fixed Falcon."

"So, is he friendly or enemy?"

"Crazy." Arthur answered without thinking. The captain gave him a cross look. "I mean, friendly, ma'am!"

Adam was tempted to slam his head into the console in front of him. 'Of all the backup in the world, we get this guy? Oh yeah!' The orange-haired boy quickly typed a text message to Archangel. "Captain! Friendly! Friendlyfriendlyfriendlyfriendlyfriendly! And did I fail to mention, FRIENDLY!"

Ramius blinked at the message. "I'd say Adam considers him a friendly, ne?"

"Yeah, definitely."

"I'll second that."

"Pretty sure about that one."

"Friendly it is then!"

ShEZAMS gunned Meteor's three engines and closed in on the demon. Neo decided to descend upon it. "Just what are you?"

Alan switched from his buster to his CWIS machine gun (think HeavyArms version 2) and fired it into the sky above him. The peppering of bullets caught Neo off guard, and the beam saber his Windam was holding got knocked out of his hands, never to be recovered. ShEZAMS flipped over Destroy while switching to its beam rifle and fired at it from above, only to have the shots bounce off of the positron shield. "Heh. The EAF sure goes out of their way to make things as grand as possible. I'm thinking they're trying to make up for a certain inadequacy though."

"Arthur Trine calling Alan Sheridan. Arthur Trine calling Alan Sheridan, do you read?"

"Yeah, this is the Sheridan Earth and Zodiac Alliance Modified Suit. Is that you, pops?"

"Pops?" A vein twitched in Arthur's forehead. "Anyway, you just came from behind Destroy. What happened to all those Windams that we detected at the rear?"

"Oh, them? I took care of those on my way in. All thanks to these." Alan hit a switch, and the BaCOE head of his mobile suit spread out its beam sabers. "All hail the greatness of my moustache!" Every pilot, mobile suit, and mechanic that was watching sweatdropped. Even Destroy had a massive droplet on its face, one that fell to the ground multiple stories below, drowning those that were trying to escape between its legs.

'This guy never changes.' Adam shook his head.

ShEZAMS flew up next to Impulse after turning off its moustache. "I saw what you were trying to do there. Looks like you could use a bit of a distraction." He pulled out the Drunken Breaker again and landed on one of the more intact rubbles. "Try it again and I'll…." A warning beep sounded in his cockpit. "Oh crap." A puff of smoke sent him flying out of the cockpit.

"Again?" Arthur sighed under his breath.

Alan pulled his head out of the ash. "You stupid piece of shit mobile suit! I ought to dismantle you bolt by bolt! When we get back home I am SO giving your ass an overhaul!" He tromped up to the suit and kicked it in the shin. "Now let me back up!" Obediently, the winch lowered.

Adam flipped open his visor and pinched the bridge of his nose. 'Seriously, is this all the backup we get, God?' He looked up into the clouds to beg.

Kira and Cagalli had to take off their helmets for a second to release all the sweatdrops before it threatened to drown them.

"As I was saying." Alan said as he hopped back in the cockpit. "I'll provide the distraction. Get that creature!" He fired a shot of his drunken breaker at Destroy.

Stellar ground her teeth. "I don't know where you came from, but I'll destroy you, you creepy freak!" The battle was back on, in full force. Stellar used her backpack's twenty beams to attack everything that moved that wasn't a friendly suit.

Shinn just shrugged and went forward, his beam saber drawn. Alan cried as he targeted his weapon, "No worries about it missing something THIS big!" He timed it just right. "Tei!" The weapon's blast impacted Destroy's leg, the energy rippling upon impact. There was no visually seen damage, but Destroy started to lose its balance on that side. Stellar fired five hand beams at Alan. "Shimata!"

Adam pulled up in front of him with shield and sword drawn. He blocked two of the beams and batted a third away as the other two just skimmed past them. 'Come on, come on! Line up another shot!' He thought as he continued to cover the red-head.

"Hrrraaaaahhhh!" Shinn saw an opening, and fired his rifle into the other leg. Destroy started to lower as its systems in those limbs attempted to restart. Alan targeted its face and fired. Both positron shields in its hands went up to its face and protected it. "This is it!" Shinn approached from below. As the hands started to lower, they fired at Impulse, which danced into the opening between blasts targeting a certain spot, the cockpit. With a swift slash of his beam saber, the black metal was sliced open like a can of worms.

Stellar screeched as she covered her face as metal, plastic, and glass shards attacked her. If she were a few feet further forward in the cockpit, she'd be dead. As Freedom dodged a shot from the purple Windam, Neo heard her cry. "Stellar!" He broke off and headed towards the conflict.

Shinn thought that if the cockpit was attacked, it would all be over. He was wrong, as the suit still continued to move. "Just what the hell is this monstrosity?" He turned again for another pass.

Stellar let the pain out through her tears as she went back on the attack. "Gaaaahhhhh!" Her rage was reflected in Destroy's attack pattern. There was none. She was randomly destroying things with the twenty beams on her back. "Wwwaaaaaaahhhhh!"

"Why are you doing all this?" Shinn whispered under his breath. The dark mobile suit's demon origins were re-affirmed as it stood in the middle of its own flames. "Just why do you want to kill everything in sight?" Stellar just gritted her teeth as maddened tears streamed down her nose. She fired all of her hand weapons at once as Impulse barreled towards her again. "Eeeehhh!"

"Cut it out, kid!" Neo had his engines at full burn, trying to cut Shinn off. He rammed him and locked arms.

This kind of contact allowed MS to MS communication. "Kuso! What's your problem?" Shinn snarled at him.

"The pilot of that thing... Stellar's in there!"

Shinn gasped as he recognized the Windam and the voice. As his jaw remained open, he locked his camera in on Destroy's cockpit and zoomed in three times. Sure as the snow falling, Stellar sat in the cockpit, sharp shards of metal piercing her flight suit, her face the epitome of anger and pain. Neo let go Impulse slowly, and Shinn made no more move to attack. "Neo!" Stellar squeaked, mistaking the event for aggression as the suit took a step forward.

Seeing his chance, Kira unfolded the guns on Freedom's hips and charged them with energy. The yellow blasts impacted the corner of the cut in the armor causing another explosion the girl had to shield herself from. "Stellar!" Neo yelled in concern as Shinn looked on in horror.

Both Impulse and Freedom floated backwards. Kira looked towards Impulse. "Just what the hell are you doing? Are you trying to be a target?"

Shinn didn't respond. He just stared at the girl in the damaged Destroy. Everyone on Minerva noticed his inaction. "Shinn! What the…." Athrun stepped closer to the monitor.

"What's wrong with him?" Luna held her broken arm close to her. "Please tell me he didn't get hit!"

As the smoke cleared, Stellar lowered her shrapnel-punctured arms. "No! I don't want to die! I'm afraid! I'm scared to die!" Her internal programming was starting to re-surface.

"Tch!" Neo went on the offensive against Freedom again, firing another blaster at him. Kira blocked it with his shield. An almost ninja-like throwing knife popped out of the Windam's hip, and he threw it straight at the nuclear-powered suit. The moment it impacted the shield, it exploded, taking out the defensive measure with it.

"Murrue-san!" Kira looked back towards the Archangel. "I'll leave this one to you!"

"Eh?" She said in surprise.

Neo fired a blast that Kira dove under, and from below Kira fired two perfectly accurate shots, shooting off both of the Windam's arms and engines. "Nani? Gwaaaahhhh!" Neo yelled as alarms blared around him.

"Neo!" Stellar squeaked as she saw the man's smoking suit. The metallic creation landed on its feet, but instantly pitched forward because of the momentum. The torso fell off and slid forward, spilling the cockpit's contents. The legs exploded. "NEO!" Stellar's grief, and decibel level, was near immesurable.

But the man was not dead, as he lay near the flames, his mask rolled off to one side. As the Archangel closed in on the scene, the captain gasped like she had never done before, recognizing the bodily proportions and hair color of the man lying on the stone below.

"Shinn! What's wrong? Say something! Shinn!" Gladys tried to raise him. But he wasn't responding at all.

Adam looked up into the sky. 'Just what is that idiot doing?'

Stellar convulsed into sobs. "Ah, ah…." Her voice came out in only a whisper though her eyes were screaming.

Sting was not having a good time of it, and now that Neo was taken out, he was commander, so…. "Damn it, she's out of it! We're pulling out, Bonaparte!" The three Murasame in the sky cut him off.

"Geeehhh!" Two spiraled from above, firing both their blasters.

"What the…." He didn't get the chance to say any more as a shot coursed down Chaos's leg. The impact tilted it into another blast that cut through its shoulder pod. As it started to fall Sting screamed.

The third Murasame transformed into mobile suit mode. "You won't escape!" He pulled out his beam saber and sliced the suit in half, right above the beam sabers on its hips. Both pieces turned into true chaos as they exploded, sending green and black shrapnel everywhere.

Stellar gripped her helmet. "No! This can't be happening! NOOOOOOO!" Her voice returned to her as she let all four of her cannons do the talking. Destroy turned and swept the entire area with the deadly red and blue beams, disintegrating everything in its path. Stellar thrashed madly as the tears continued to flow.

"Oh crap!" Alan took to the skies just before the beams came his way.

Adam's Murasame pulled up Strike Rouge and got out of the way just in time. 'That pilot must be psycho! Uh…psycho…. No way! That pilot….'

"Enough, Stellar! STELLAR!" Shinn screamed.

Kira went full bore as he drew his saber. "Kuso! Stop this already!" Freedom impacted a hand shield, and the other hand fired its beams through it, missing Kira by inches as he pulled away.

Shinn gasped at the scene. "Cut it out!" He said as he targeted Freedom. Kira gasped as he backed away from Impulse, which took two swipes at him. "You have no clue what's going on! In that suit…in that suit!"

"Shinn!" Luna leaned over the sofa.

"What's he doing?" Athrun just stood stunned.

Impulse turned around. "Stellar! Stellar! Don't you know me? It's Shinn!" He went in closer, for a better transmission.

Stellar's instincts had overpowered her. "NO! Dying isn't good! I'm afraid!" She fired both her hand beams without even aiming.

The weapons came within inches of Shinn, but they didn't hit. Even so, the cockpit shook from the shockwave. "Stellar! It'll be okay, Stellar!" She didn't hear him as she raised the hand directly at him. Her agony reached him, as his eyes filled with tears as well. "You're not gonna die!" Stellar's eyes opened as she recognized those words. "Don't worry. I'll do it. I'll protect you!"

Her brain relaxed as she remembered his kindness the day he pulled her from the ocean. "Shinn." She sighed as she sat back and smiled.

The giant arm lowered. "Stel…lar…."

"Shinn!" For a brief, gleeful moment, her soul and his joined together, bringing out feelings that she never even realized she had.

Kira blinked at the bizarre scene below him, and decided to get a closer look, with his beam saber still drawn. Adam's orange Murasame slid in front of Freedom and put a hand against its chest. The younger boy sent him a message. "Let's let him handle this one. Fall back a bit, ne?"

"But, Adam…." Kira paused, looking between the message, Impulse, and Destroy.

Stellar's soul searching ended abruptly as a small explosion in one of her consoles brought her attention back to the present. As she looked out gaping hole in the front, she saw Impulse, almost smiling at her, and in the background, a mobile suit with eight blue wings stretched out slowly getting closer, as another orange suit tried to slow it down. Stellar's mind had already identified this azure creature as the Angel of Death, and knowing what saying the word "die" does to her, seeing its personification in front of her was not a good development. She hunched over, her damaged arms shaking, her tearstained eyes beginning to well up again, remembering Neo's words, and his mobile suit being destroyed. She squeaked as she shook her head and Destroy re-activated, its green eyes flashing in the darkness of the night.

Shinn, Adam, and Kira all gasped as Destroy took a few steps forward. "Aim the Tristan cannons!" The captain of the Minerva ordered. "Your target is EAF's giant canopener!"

"Hai!"

"Stellar! Stellar!" Shinn tried to reason with her again, but that was out of the question at this point. Destroy's positron cannons were starting to gather energy. "You've got to get control of yourself, Stellar!"

Kira broke free of Adam. "We have to end this now!"

Adam chased after the legendary suit. 'Come on, Stellar, listen to Shinn! Hear his words!'

"Grrraaaaaaahhhh!" Stellar wasn't hearing anything anymore.

"STELLAR!" Shinn screamed. The weapons were nearing full capacity.

"Ggggaaaaaaawwwwwww!"

A moment before the pent up power was let loose, Freedom plunged its beam saber into the center cannon. Shinn just gasped as Kira whipped out his second saber and stabbed it into the left cannon. 'I didn't want it to come to this, but…!' Adam slammed his saber into the right cannon, hidden from Shinn's view because of Freedom. They both drew back.

All three chest cannons overloaded, the explosion sending Impulse flying. "Gyyyaaahhhh!"

Everything fell apart around Stellar as the overload cascaded into her cockpit. As a seemingly last hurrah, the final cannon in its mouth let out its pent up energy harmlessly into the sky as it slowly fell backwards. The backpack collapsed under the colossal Gundam's weight. Kira watched wordlessly from above. The demon from the depths, Hell's Representative, would kill no more. Destroy…was destroyed.

Alan sighed. "Put up a fight to the very end. Only a true animal would do something like that." He turned around and flew back to his workshop for repairs.

Ramius stood with two guards in front of the still unconscious man. His facial features were unmistakable. Though he had some bad scars and longer hair, this was indeed her presumed dead love, Mwu La Flaga. "It's not possible, is it?"

The three Murasame pilots assisted in evacuating what was left of the civilians, with the help of Strike Rouge. Freedom docked for repairs. Adam remained outside, prepared to go over to Impulse and reveal who he truly was. 'Where is he?' His scanners searched, until he saw the mobile suit, standing up in the rubble, abandoned. After a bit more searching, he found him… and her. 'No. It wasn't. It couldn't….'

"Stellar! Stellar!" Shinn cradled the girl in his arms as he kept her stretched out on his lap. He had loosened her flight suit to make it easier for her to breathe, and also removed some of the shrapnel from her arms and torso. His breath was quivering in sorrow. "Why did this happen?"

Her eyes twitched for a moment before opening. "Shi..nn?" He said nothing as he stared into her eyes, not even paying attention to the hot tears that streaked down his cheeks. Stellar slowly lifted her arm. "You…came to see me?" The wounded girl smiled slightly.

"Unh…unh!" Shinn sobbed as he grasped her hand tightly.

The purple-eyed girl also had tears in her eyes. "Shinn…you protected Stellar…." She flinched in pain.

"Stellar!"

The girl opened her eyes once again, staring into his red, tear-filled orbs. "Shinn… I love you." Her body went limp. The words left her mouth as her soul left her body.

Her confession left Shinn stunned, as he dropped her lifeless hand. "STELLAR!" His voice was gone, turned into squeaks and chokes. The third time he had lost something precious to him had happened. The tears wouldn't stop. He didn't want them to stop. Shinn crouched over the body of the girl whose affections belonged to him. He tore his head into the air. "HHHEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" It was a scream he used twice before, for Mayu, and for Adam.

Adam ripped off his helmet as he heard the boy's scream. None of the rest had reached his ears. Tears ran down his cheeks in mutual pain. "Shinn…." He forced the word out of his mouth, despite the pain. He turned back towards the ship and prepared to dock. There wasn't anything he could do, or anyone could do for that matter. But Adam understood. Shinn Asuka's spirit was broken.

Chapter 21 Preview: He failed in his mission and promise…to protect her life. As his shattered heart and blinded eyes turn to a new enemy, seeking retribution, what will it be? As a new, yet old face takes up residence on the Archangel, the repercussions of the battle just begin to surface. As Dullindal broadcasts to the world, what will he the answer to his hails? Next time on Old Friends Anew: Misleadings. Perfect your strategy and commence your attack, Impulse!


	21. Old Friends Anew Ch 21

Old Friends Anew

Phase-21: Misleadings

No one stopped him, when he took the girl in his arms. No one stopped him, when he walked past the body guards. No one stopped him, when he winched the both of them up to the cockpit with enraged tears. No one stopped him, when he flew away from the aftermath of the battle. No one stopped him, for he would have killed anyone that did. Shinn Asuka ran.

"Adam?" Meyrin rang the buzzer on his room. "Adam, are you in there?" She lifted her finger off the intercom. "Well of course it's not like he can answer you, Meyrin. His vocal chords are still shot." Her finger went to the door trigger and admitted herself into the room. "Adam, where are you hiding? I don't have time for head games. I've still got a concussion after all." There was nothing in his quarters that could respond to her.

"Come on, hurry it up! Yamato and Cancho are coming back in! Are you engineers or turtles!" A voice cried from behind her. The pigtailed girl whirled around and saw three mechanics heading for the hangar at top speed.

The girl jumped back into the hall. "What was that about a Cancho?"

"Eh?" The three stopped and turned around. "Oh, it's you."

"Didn't you know?" A second one said.

"'Didn't you know?'" She mimicked, "What do I look like, some clairvoyant? Now spill!"

"When we engaged that EAF monster, Kira-sama told us to sortie the Cancho boy too."

"Adam WHAT?" Her look turned almost menacing.

"He um…fought?"

Before the mechanics knew it, in the direction they were originally heading, Meyrin Hawke ran.

Impulse opened up his cockpit while standing on a rocky knoll at the edge of a lake. The snow was still falling from the gray-black skies. Shinn stroked the blonde's hair as he looked over the scene. "Is this good for you, Stellar?" He pushed the controls forward and let his mobile suit into the water until it was hip deep in the liquid. The heartbroken boy placed his hand on the deceased girl's cheek, the same hand that she had placed in the same spot in the same fashion on the day they met in Diocvia. The EAF Extended was cradled against Shinn's chest as he reminisced on her carefree smile. His teeth chattered as a cold breeze ran through the cockpit, but soon those chatters started to turn to sobs. "It's okay now, Stellar." His entire body shook as he said those words to the silent girl.

After Adam's Murasame was parked he popped open the cockpit and tossed his helmet to the nearest mechanic. Murdock put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Nice work out there today, boyo." Adam scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

"ADAM CANCHO!" A yell shook the room. It was so loud that Kira and Cagalli were tempted to go back into their mobile suits. By the time the poor boy turned around, his face was burning with a handprint. Everyone in the launch bay winced.

When his eyes locked on the pinkish-redheaded pigtails flying in the wind, he acted on instinct. "What the hell was that for, Meyrin?" He coughed for a bit afterwards.

"You know exactly what that's for! You were completely imbecilic! You're injured, you're weakened, and yet you sortied, flew, fought, and… talked?"

Adam blinked at her.

"You talked. Just now, I'm serious."

Adam blinked at her again.

Shinn wrote in a quick automatic program and stepped out onto Impulse's metallic hand with the EAF's greatest and most insane pilot in his arms. The mobile suit swung its hand out forward, just barely caressing the calm waters below. When Shinn got to the fingertips, he knelt down, holding the completely limp girl, both being hit by the snowfall. "There's nothing left to be afraid of." The sobs and shivers returned to Shinn's form. "You don't have to suffer anymore." His hot tears streamed down his face and dropped to her unresponsive cheeks.

"Well Adam-kun," The Archangel's head doctor flipped through the scans he took. "I'm quite impressed. You apparently have quite rapid healing abilities, even for a Coordinator. Though the flesh wounds seem to be healing at a normal rate, the damage internally is healing more rapidly than expected."

Adam cocked his head to one side, still confused.

"So what does that mean?" Meyrin sat by his side.

"Well, what I'm saying is that, though I still don't want you to talk until you're fully healed, you'll be back to speaking in just over a month, instead of the three I gave you before. Looks like someone up above really likes you." At this news Meyrin almost hugged the stuffing out of the boy. "Hey careful! Don't rip out all those neat little stitches I had put in!"

"That being said…." Shinn knelt down and slowly dipped the girl into the water, his tears not stopping, not wanting to stop. "There's nothing left to be afraid of. There's no one that will be cruel to you again." As he let go, the poor girl slowly sank into the water. "That being said… be comforted… and rest in peace in this place far away from war, mobile suits, or hatred. Where I wanted you to be when you were alive." As she sank lower into the water, her arms spread out, almost as if she were an angel. "Goodnight." Shinn doubled over his sorrow taking over his form.

"You have a LOT of explaining to do, Adam!" Meyrin hovered over the boy as she paced in his room, waiting for him to finish writing. "And saying you're sorry won't cut it." Adam let out a breathless sigh and crumpled the notesheet he was writing on and pitched it into the nearest trash can. "Thought so."

Adam took to writing again, and quickly finished. "I saw Shinn out there, Meyrin."

"Eh? Really? Does he know? Did he know it was you out there? Did you tell him I'm okay too?"

Adam shook his head and looked into her eyes with deep sadness.

"Wh…what happened?" She asked, taken aback.

"I promised I'd protect her." Shinn put his forehead down into his clenched fists. "I promised I'd protect her!" The boy pounded his fist into the metal. "Stellar! I'm so sorry!" He was completely overtaken by the pain as the snow started to slowly build on Impulse as Shinn lay there in sorrow, his salty tears ceaseless.

"After the battle, he lost someone I think was very dear to him." Adam wrote down.

"Oh, God…." Meyrin just stood there as he continued to write.

"You know his history, right, Meyrin? He was able to recover from that… but this… Meyrin, I'm scared."

"Wh…why?"

"The way he sounded, the way he moved, was horrifying. His body was like on autopilot. There wouldn't have been anything that could get through to him, not even me. I think the Shinn I know might be gone forever."

After silence and snow covered his back, the red-eyed pilot sat up slowly, letting the snow slough off his back. Shinn slowly lifted up his head. The sobs were gone. The sadness was gone. His composure now consisted of a snarl and purified and concentrated hatred. "Freedom!" He hissed.

The aftermath of the Berlin Massacre was horrid to say the least. Hardly any buildings were left standing. There were thousands of small fires burning still, and there was still much chaos left to sift through. The words of those in the middle of it all told the tale.

"Dig us up a new hole! This one's already full!"

"We don't have time to waste. If the bodies can't be identified, we'll have to cremate them!"

"To think that we have to stoop to mass burials."

Elsewhere in the city. "We've got the respirators! Finally!"

"We've got another over here!" A ZAFT patrolman found a little girl shuddering and hiding in the wreckage. He knelt down. "It's okay now. Everything will be fine."

One of the medical crew came up to them and leaned down next to the girl. "Well, you must have been pretty scared." He gingerly lifted her up. "Now, let's get you into someplace warmer, ok?"

Elsewhere. "Things are going to start to reak if we don't get some disinfectants down here."

"But it's all being used for the wounded!"

"Hey! What do you think you're doing? Don't use bulldozers over there! You'll make the whole building come down!"

"Does anyone know where this boy's parents are? Do you? Please tell me if you recognize him!" An old man and a sobbing child walked through the survivors.

"I need a hand over here! This one is still alive!"

From the Minerva, perched on the flattest piece of ground it could find, the captain and first officer looked upon the whole thing with disgust. "This is truly a horrid act. They definitely went too far this time, the EAF that is." The captain rubbed her elbow.

"I have to agree with that completely." Arthur sighed.

"In Diocvia, even the Chairman said 'Sometimes I wonder what in the world we're all doing.' He was right, wasn't he?"

"Being totally honest, if the fight keeps up like this, it does kind of make you wonder what the final tally will be." Arthur looked at the ground below with a sympathetic gaze. "I know the Chairman was trying to become harmonious with Naturals and thus not have a repeat performance of the Great War, but now…." He looked up after hesitating for a moment. "Don't you think it would be better to just take down the ones that we need to defeat now instead of waiting until the last minute? I really don't think anything will end if it goes as it is."

The captain sighed as she turned back to the window. "You're probably right."

Athrun walked the quarterdeck, and came to a certain room. He pressed the intercom button after hesitating for a moment. "Shinn, it's me. May I enter?" There was no answer, but the door slid open. In the dark room, Shinn was typing away at a computer terminal as Ray looked over his shoulder. When the officer came in, Ray saluted him. "Just what are you two up to?" Athrun looked confused as he walked in.

Ray put his hand down and turned to his co-worker at the desk. "Shinn, Athrun's here."

"Huh?" The boy didn't even look up from his computer screen. "Unh."

Athrun's eye caught the video that was on his screen which left him in shock. "Freedom?"

Shinn's fingers started to pound the keys until at one point he just slammed his fist into the arm rest. "Kuso! Just how can it be like that?"

Ray leaned forward and examined the playback and the status. "Even using the camera recording at a slower speed, his reaction time is rather rapid. The thruster skills are quite well developed as well. He's mastered that unit inside and out."

It was like Athrun wasn't even in the room anymore. He gasped as his brain tried to sort out everything that was happening.

Shinn rubbed his lower lip. "Freedom definitely overwhelms Impulse when it comes to power, but I never thought controlling it to this level…."

"Shinn, Ray, just what the hell are you doing?" Athrun reached for Shinn's shoulder, but he shoved it away quickly.

Shinn's voice turned cold as he turned towards Athrun, his air of superiority returning. "'What the hell are we doing?' It's pretty obvious that this is a fight simulation model against Freedom. Did you want something?" He said as he turned back.

"And why would you something like that?"

"Because it's strong."

"Eh?"

"In all of my knowledge, that's the number one most powerful suit. It even took down Destroy. That being said, making it my opponent during training would be the most helpful. If anything was to happen, ZAFT needs someone who can defeat it, else it will be rather troublesome. Am I mistaken?" Shinn cocked his head at Athrun and glared at him with his red orbs. "We already know that his actions have no predictability!"

"Shinn!" Athrun grabbed him by the cuff.

The black haired boy jumped out of his chair and broke the grip. "Did you want something or not?" They stared at each other in disgust.

"Athrun!" Ray came between them and pushed them both back from each other. "Shinn, show more restraint." The room was silent for a moment. "Athrun, I don't think Shinn's opinions are wrong."

"Huh?" Athrun hissed.

"Freedom is quite strong. I also agree that it is unpredictable in its moves and is not one of our units. That said, Shinn's thoughts are valid." Athrun gritted his teeth as Ray continued. "I know you've fought side by side with it before, but that is invalid now."

"But I'm telling you that Kira isn't an enemy!"

"WHA?" Shinn snarled and almost tempted a step forward.

"And why do you say that?" Ray retorted with what looked like a calm anger. "Did you forget about our ship in Dardanelles, and that Heine's death was partly because of him too? And I seem to recall that you were also shot down."

"Don't spit that at…."

Ray wouldn't let him finish. "Though only those higher up on the command chain can tell us to fight, there is no way we can just say it's a friendly. As such, we should be ready to fight it at any time."

Athrun's face twisted in disgust and Shinn just turned away, plunking himself down at the computer once more. "Keh."

"If you feel up to it, Athrun, any advice from your own experience would be quite helpful."

"Gwaah?" Athrun could hardly even speak anymore.

"It's fine, Ray." Shinn stared into the computer screen. "The experience of a loser is a shitty piece of information to begin with."

"What was that!" Athrun was fully prepared to hit Shinn.

"I apologize for him, Athrun." Ray put his hand in between the two. "I'll make sure to scold Shinn once our current project is over."

Athrun stomped out of the room without another word. He wanted to hit something, and hit it bad.

"'The experience of a loser is a shitty piece of information to begin with' eh? I think that was a little over the top, Shinn."

"Sue me later. Could you prepare the next simulation for me?"

"Of course."

'Man, why do I have to get guard duty?' Adam grumbled silently as he stared down at the dirty blonde man sleeping in a medical bed with hand and leg cuffs chained to the bedposts. 'Just what happened to this guy anyway? He's covered in scars.'

His eyebrows twitched and his eyelids lifted open to reveal their pale blue pupils. "Yadday, yadday. Looks like I'm in a strange place once again." He noticed the orange haired boy sitting there watching him. "What's your problem? I am Colonel Neo Lorrnoke of the EAF's 81st Independent Division. I demand you release me at once." Adam sat there and said nothing. "You deaf or something, kid? I said release me."

Adam pulled out a sheet of paper and started writing. "You are currently a prisoner of ORB's Independent Division, the Archangel. Neither your rank nor your orders have any effect here. You will not be harmed when you are in our care, and we will follow international codes for prisoners of war."

"A mute huh? ORB must be pretty desperate to let people like you in." He winced as he chuckled.

"You are still badly injured. Rest up and recover your strength. We'll have questions for you later."

"Heh, questions for me? You won't get crap out of me, so you may as well just release me right now." Neo yawned. After a few moments of struggling, his head hit the pillow and he fell asleep.

Ray loaded up the video files from the battle with Destroy on his separate workstation. "Hmm?" He paused the clip right after the second beam saber went into the positron cannon. The blonde enhanced the image behind Freedom and peeled the mobile suit away by layers. 'There was another mobile suit assisting him?' Indeed, Adam's orange Murasame was displayed on the middle of the picture. The boy thought as he continued typing. 'That would be problematic for my superior. A little creative editing and….' "Done!" Ray leaned back in his seat. He replayed the edited video. There was now no sign that the Murasame was there. The Zaku Phantom's pilot got up and handed the disk to Shinn.

"Thanks."

"I'll get to work on the next one."

"Unh." Shinn continued to stare at his workstation. As Ray was about to turn back, he spoke again. "Freedom…."

"Hmm?"

"I'll shoot it down!" His eyes narrowed as his eyebrows went to 45 degree angles of hatred.

Back in the Archangel, Murrue sat staring at the sleeping man, Chief Engineer Murdock standing guard this time. The door slid open and Kira stepped in. "Is he still sleeping?"

"Yeah." The captain sighed. "We treated him and set Adam up as a guard. He opened his eyes and told Adam that he was the EAF's 81st Independent Division's colonel, Neo Lorrnoke. But comparing our examination to the physical data we still have stored in the medical database, it's a 100 match. This person is… Mwu La Fllaga. Of course, that's physically speaking."

The other two in the room flinched at her admission. "But what the hell is going on?" Murdock's voice was rough and annoyed, and it was enough to make Neo open his eyes when everyone wasn't looking at him. "So what you're saying is that he's the Major, right?"

"Yes, exactly." Kira nodded. "There's no doubt when it comes to that, but…."

"Yadday yadday, just when did I turn out to be a Major?" He spoke for the first time in Murrue's presence. The two other men in the room flinched as they heard the unmistakable voice, and the captain stood up in a flash, knocking her chair over in the process. "I told that mute guard of yours that I'm a Colonel. Don't start demoting me of your own free will just because I'm in cuffs." The entire room went silent. Kira's mouth was agape, and Ramius's marigold eyes began to fill with tears. "Hmm?" He turned his head towards the captain. She had to cover her mouth with her clenched fist as their gazes met. "Wh…what is it?" He continued jokingly, not really feeling the atmosphere. "You didn't fall for me the moment you laid eyes on me, did you Ms. Beautiful?"

Murrue tore out of the room at light speed, not being able to stand it in there anymore, tears flying through the air. After she ran past him, Kira whirled around. "Mwu-san! How could you?"

"Huh? Just who's this "Mwu" guy?"

Kira was taken aback, completely stunned. He left without a word, with Murdock following him. As they came along the hall slowly, the captain was leaning against a wall in complete emotional pain. Miriallia and Meyrin, chatting about something in common, rounded the corner and saw her, and they were instantly by her side. Watching the two girls take care of the despairing woman, Murdock spoke. "So he lost his memory?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"I'd say its more a matter of them being altered than having them lost. That's the only way he'd be allowed into the EAF."

"Ah." The chief sighed.

"But I just know that's Mwu-san!"

"Yeah, but…."

"That's why I wanted to bring him back. I sensed it was him."

"I guess so, but if his memory is really gone, then it's crueler to the Captain than him being dead."

The sun rose on the aftermath of the Berlin Massacre once again a few days later. Backup had arrived along with aid, but there was still much work to do, but now there was something else for the Minerva's crew to worry about, fixing the junked mobile suits in the hangar. "Repair these things? Heh! Try RESTORE and you'd get it right." Youlan complained.

"It would be easier to just build a new one instead of replacing all these parts." Vino flopped over his console.

"Well with the Zaku I can get it, but why did they order Savior rebuilt? Something like that doesn't have normal parts."

"Couldn't we dismantle the Falcon cones?"

"Go ahead if you have a death wish. Shinn would cut your throat out."

"Ah mou! Everything is so mixed up around here it's a miracle we get any work done."

On the observation platform above the hangar, the blue haired FAITH Coordinator stared at the pieces of Impulse going through the maintenance checks. He said nothing and wasn't even aware of the person coming up from behind him. "Athrun!" Luna spoke with a little cheerful smile. As she stopped next to him, he turned to look at her. "Anything wrong? I normally don't see you here."

"Uh, iie. It's nothing." He looked away so she wouldn't catch anything.

She let it drop and just looked at the central catapult. "Shinn, his punishment was thrown out again, wasn't it?"

"Eh?"

"Well, I'm not surprised. The last time it was ignored too, so when he split this time I guess it was expected. But even so… if he's allowed to get off scot free, he must be a Super Ace or something to that extent. That'll cause a bit of discontent, won't it?"

"You're saying that like you're one of those discontented people."

"Eh?"

"So what you're trying to say is that I should talk with the Captain and get a few things straightened out, correct?"

"That's totally wrong!" She took a step closer to him.

"Uh?"

"I… just want you to try a bit more, Athrun. Nothing else." She looked straight into his eyes and answered his questioning look. "I know you're more capable than this! Show us more of what you have! I know Shinn will be more respectful and obedient if you do. He actually does look up to you, you know."

"Lunamaria…." To say that Athrun was surprised was an understatement. She was making a lot of sense.

"You may not realize it, but you're way too kind! But that's a side to you that I tend to like, though. It's a real waste!"

"A waste?"

"Um, yeah. You have all the authority of FAITH and the power that comes with it, but you never use it. You should go and do some more of the stuff of your choice."

The mention of the pin on his uniform made him turn away and go cross. "Authority of FAITH…power…?"

"Yeah, isn't that so?" Luna was still upbeat, but the moment she looked into his unresponsive face was when she realized she should shut up for a bit.

"Don't anchor those to the floor! I don't intend to keep these as permanent decorations, you know!" Dullindal yelled at the camera crew in his office as someone powdered his face. Mia sat on a chair, looking at her gloved hands, her Haro turned off for a bit.

"All linkups complete. We're ready to broadcast." The video and audio technicians gave the signals.

"We're ready when you are, Chairman."

"Ah, I'm counting on you all. Begin in ten seconds."

Mia looked at him with a worried face, and the man with long black hair gave her a comforting nod and smile. "In gou… yon… san… ni…" The camerawoman gave her signal to go after the silent one count.

Dullindal's face was instantly serious again as he looked straight into the camera. "Everyone, I am Supreme Council of PLANT's Chairman, Gilbert Dullindal desu." Instantly every television, radio, and cellular phone either displayed his image or put out his voice. "I realize the war between PLANT and Earth has not been able to come to a settlement as of yet. That being so, I ask you to forgive me for this intrusion into your regular broadcasts for this message. I beg of you to please lend me your ears for a few moments of your time and listen to me!"

"Captain!" Burt pulled off his headset as he turned to the blonde woman. "We're receiving an urgent message from PLANT, delivered by Chairman Dullindal himself."

"Eh?" Both the captain and the first officer were surprised.

"It appears that it is being sent through all of the world's media outlets."

"Wha?" Arthur's jaw went down. "Is that even possible?"

Kira stood by Cagalli on the bridge and looked up into the screen. "There is something everyone should be aware of." Dullindal continued. "I intend to do that now."

Murrue stepped out of the elevator in a rush, with Adam and Meyrin following suit. "Nani? What is his intention with all this?"

"Chairman Dullindal…." Kira stared at the screen with and unreadable look.

"Yep, that's him all right." Meyrin blinked and watched on with curiosity. "But what is he doing?"

"Put this through the entire ship, and get everyone that doesn't have a high priority job to do to watch it!" Talia ordered Arthur and Burt.

"Hai!"

In the hangar, Athrun was still silent, reminiscing about everything from when he first met the Chairman as Cagalli's bodyguard through his promotion to FAITH. "Athrun? You don't look too good." Luna couldn't stand the silence any more.

"Oh? No, I apologize. I just spaced out…."

"I will tell you the reason for this endless destruction that emanates from this war we are in now." The Chairman's voice echoed through the PA system. The two pilots looked up and gasped in surprise. "And I shall start with the real reason we have again been forced into a state of war.

"What's this all about?" Vino was the first of the crew to ask.

"Apparently it's a message from the Chairman, marked as urgent." Youlan informed him.

Athrun and Luna were in the lounge in a flash, where everyone was gathered around the main screen, where Ray and Shinn were at the front of the crowd. "The reason I do this is because of the large information gap between each country's policies. Thus, I'm positive that many of you know not of this."

Dullindal's picture was immediately replaced with that of the video taken from Destroy's assaults. The destruction was completely apparent. "No way!" One of three school girls said as they gathered around her cell phone.

"Just what the hell is this?" Even the cook stopped making food in a local restaurant.

"What you are seeing are the events of an invasion by a gigantic new EAF weapon that went on a killing spree from Central Eurasia to Western Eurasia a few days past."

"Damn it, what is this stunt?" Djibril stood up in a panic as all his video monitors turned to the broadcast.

"There was no warning for such an attack. This massive weapon named Destroy began to wipe out cities and their populous, leaving no time for the civilians to escape. It continued to cut a swath with no regard to this fact."

"Turn it off! Stop him now!" Djibril slammed his finger on his intercom.

The video turned to the battle between Impulse and Destroy. "A defense tactic was used immediately to block its path, but it wound up with multiple sacrifices, to my deep regret." Just before Impulse slashed open the cockpit, the feed switched back to the Chairman. "The aggressors were of Earth, and the target in their reticules were of Earth. How did something like this happen?" Now it was pictures of Alliance brutality all across the globe. "The EAF has claimed that their goal is to liberate those places under ZAFT control…." And now the recordings from the Minerva's saving crusades. "but is this truly liberation? They've burned cities and their occupants. Is that liberation? I agree that we did support those who disliked the operations of the Alliance and attempted to secede from Allied Eurasia and win independence, but we did it in a spirit of humanitarianism. Such people only want to end the pointless fight to take back their peaceful lives once more."

The video showed the last breath of Destroy as it collapsed to the ground. Neo closed his eyes and turned away from the video screen by his bed. "Stellar…." A small tear trickled down his cheek.

"They only wish to live with their loved ones, away from all battlefields. Those are the people we supported!"

The aftermath of the battle the Minerva was sitting in was broadcast to the world amidst gasps and whispers. "Mama! Mama!" A devastated child was limp.

"That Alliance-made monster totaled everything!"

"ZAFT saved us from them. The Alliance is the enemy! If you doubt me, come and see this for yourselves!" Civilians raised up automatic weapons into the air in a mob rage.

Dullindal's countenance returned to the screen. "Even with our best efforts, the Alliance snubbed the olive branch we offered them, and the people of Eurasia, that reached out for that branch to choose a path of peace and dialogue instead of trading blows of hate, were declared traitors of the EAF and were annihilated! Even the children!"

"I told you to stop him!" Djibril was actually twitching. "Quit lollygagging and do it! That…."

The stressing man's screens filled up with the other members of his group. "Djibril, explain this!"

"You're going to be held accountable for this, you realize!"

"What is Dullindal attempting?" The gray-blue haired man only sweated bullets as he was peppered with such questions.

More battle clips against Destroy were shown, from when Shinn closed in between Stellar's hand beams, and then it exploded, blowing him away. "Freedom! They're not showing it!" Athrun realized the truth.

Shinn gritted his teeth, and clenched his fist until his knuckles went white. They were pegging the victory and death of Stellar on Impulse. "But why?" Dullindal got even more upset and pounded his desk, making the chess pieces beside him jump. "Why do they feel the need to do something so horrid?" He stood up, as planned. "'Peace isn't allowed. We have to fight.' Who speaks those words, and why? Why is it we're unable to join hands?"

The Chairman waved his arm out, and, per her cue, Mia stepped on screen and put a hand on his shoulder. The entire bridge crew on Archangel gasped. 'So which Lacus is that?' Adam wondered.

She began to speak. "I agree that because of the Break The World atrocity, and the Coordinators that did it, started the war."

The Lacus on screen made Kira's unreadable face turn into one of complete disgust. Adam caught the change. 'Okay, definitely the fake one.'

"The fact that we weren't able to prevent it and the numerous deaths that came of it is something we will never forget." As Mia continued, Dullindal took his seat. "The grief, pain, and wounds of those that fell victim to it must be far beyond the infinity now. Maybe such severe grief and pain made this conflict unavoidable." The real Lacus and her first officer Watfeld winced. "Even so, we cannot let things continue in this manner! There can be no peace in a world that is coated in gunfire. We have all suffered from the pain and cause and effect of endless hatred, haven't we? So please, wipe the tears from your eyes and see ahead with clear vision. Once your sadness has been displayed to the world, listen to what all sides have to say!" In space, Yzak, Dearka, and the third member of the squad, the silent Shiho, watched on with analyzing looks while Arthur and Talia removed their hats on Earth. "Let us all go back to that world we once knew, filled with the soft light of kindness! Is this not the wish of all of us that exist in the populous known as humanity?" Her speech being over, applause was heard around the world, along with cheers for the woman she was playing. Athrun looked away.

Dullindal paused for some of the applause to die down before he started again. "But there are still those that attempt to stand in the path to peace. They have done so since time has begun!" Djibril flinched, and those that talked to the Chairman that day in Diocvia gasped in realization. "They, for their own profit, cry out 'Fight, fight, fight!' 'Anyone who doesn't fight is a coward!' 'Anyone who disobeys is a traitor!'"

'No way! He's going to….' Adam looked around at the bridge crew, everyone was as stunned as he.

"With each word uttered by them, another of us carries a weapon, another enemy is created, another shot is fired! These people will never allow for a world filled with peace! Not only that, but is without a sliver of doubt when I say that the Eurasian Slaughter was caused by them!"

"Djibril!" Another of the members started yelling at him

The man was in a panic as he slammed his fist into his chair. "I told you to stop them! Stop them this instant! Why can't you?"

As the man's black cat hopped off the armrest, Dullindal decided to start up again. "Even those known as Blue Cosmos, who loathe Coordinators as evil monsters, is nothing more than a pawn that they created?" The leader of the group ground his teeth in panic. "They exist in the shadows, constantly creating enemies and force the world into war in this way. They are the military industrial complex. They are those that deal out death! LOGOS! They are the enemies of all that wish for peace in their time!" Nine pictures were displayed on the screen of old men, and the last one was of Lord Djibril himself. Seeing it, he jerked back and his eyes nearly shot out of their sockets. Both Minerva's and Archangel's Captains gasped.

"Chairman…." Shinn and Ray had smiles on their faces.

"I wish from the bottom of my heart is that we can end this reign of terror and create a peaceful world where war will never occur again. Therefore, I hereby declare that ZAFTs goal in this war is to rid the world of its true enemy, the ones that try to counteract the ones who fight for peace! LOGOS!"

Cagalli gasped. "This…isn't good! This has become extremely complicated! Captain! Kira!"

Those in the refugee camp next to the Minerva raised their fists and weapons into the air in cheers that reached their ears, even inside the ship. "Dullindal! Dullindal! Dullindal!" As more people joined in the cheering, Athrun stood there, unmoving, except for the nervous quiver of his eyes. Kira stood with a look of anger on his face. Adam didn't know what to think, and Meyrin would have smiled if it wasn't for the atmosphere on the bridge. Ray's look softened as he relaxed and gave a slightly larger smile. This would change everything.

Chapter 22 Preview: The Target: Logos! The world fills with excitement and anticipation for the end. Hidden in the fog of chaos, an order is delivered in the form of a single sentence. Is something like this really necessary? Will the explosions smoke out the winner? Next time on Old Friends Anew: The Repeating Nightmare. Offer your only bargaining chip for survival, Archangel!


	22. Old Friends Anew Ch 22

Old Friends Anew

Phase-22: The Repeating Nightmare

During Dullindal's message, the governments of the world were confused. In PLANT's Supreme Council, it was no different. "Neu."

"Yes, Krista." The two females of the council talked to each other quietly.

"Just what is going on? What's the Chairman planning to do with this?"

Similar discussions were happening all around the council chambers. "No, I hadn't heard a thing about this broadcast at all." Was the answer they all gave. Dullindal had acted without their consent.

ORB's Parliament was disturbed as they prepared for an emergency meeting. The blue haired man that I'm sure we all wished were dead ran up to his bald-headed relative. "Father…!"

"Oh, Yuuna." The man broke away from the one he was conversing with before and stepped away from any listening ears.

Yuuna whispered as quietly as possible. "What is all this? Do you realize what it means now that the Ritter Group and Groht family had been listed as Logos members?"

"Ungh." Was his father's only response.

On board the Archangel, the only two people that weren't worried or in a panic were Adam and Meyrin. "I don't get it. Why isn't anyone happy about this?" Meyrin asked blatantly. "I mean isn't this a good thing?"

No one said anything as they examined the Logos profile. Adam held out a piece of paper to Meyrin. "I agree with you that it's a good thing, Meyrin, but he's manipulating the people along with that Lacus."

"Eh? What about Lacus-sama?"

"The Lacus that we saw wasn't my Lacus." Kira made a fist at his side.

"Then that person up there is…."

"Fake." Both Adam and Kira said it at the same time.

Suddenly everything fell into place. Why she thought Lacus had changed, why Athrun had such a weird reaction about her, and why she forgot the styles she used to wear. "The one I met at Diocvia was fake. It's hard to believe. But I still don't get why the Logos hunt is a bad thing."

"On the surface it doesn't look so bad." Cagalli raised her hand to her chin. "But this is a political hell. Some of the members of Logos have strong bonds with the Seiran family."

"That 'Bastard Yuuna' and his cronies?" Adam flipped another sheet of paper out.

Normally, Cagalli and the others would have laughed at that, but this time there was no chance to. "It's not just with them, it's with ORB in general. No, it's even worse than that. Those global companies have ties to every major country in the world! Just what kind of madness is he trying to stir up? That Chairman Dullindal! I'm getting really worried about ORB. Just how will the Seirans act about this one?" Cagalli paced.

"Is it really that bad?" Adam placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm afraid so, Adam." Kira lifted out of his silent thought. "We're going back."

"Eh?" The captain wasn't sure what he meant.

"To ORB."

"Kira…" Cagalli whispered.

"Something is coming, and it's different from what we've already seen, and it's big, really big. I can feel it."

"Then let's go!" Adam patted Kira on the shoulder before sprawling out over Meyrin. "I'm gonna take you to the best places on the island, then I'm gonna bring you to meet my parents, and then… oh wait, if I take you to meet my folks, that means I'll have to go and meet your folks at some point. Hope I don't get space sick…. Anyway…." Adam continued to scribble at top speed.

"Well, that was totally unexpected." Miriallia watched Adam continue to rattle off things he wanted to do with Meyrin. Something made her turn completely red in embarrassment before Adam erased it, looking guilty.

"First off, I'd like to apologize for the ruckus I've caused." The Chairman spoke to the emergency Council meeting. "But I have already voiced my opinions on this matter in my past speeches. For those of you who missed it, please allow me to repeat what I said when we first started this defensive war. 'The weapons that we once again wield, I sincerely hope they will end all battles, this time for sure.'" After a long pause to let his statement sink in, he started again. "Our purpose now is to separate ourselves from their warlike system. Our enemy isn't the EAF or Naturals. If Logos isn't removed, then how many other times will we have to go through this?"

"But even if you say that," One of the other members spoke up amid quiet discussion. "something of this scale can't be done so easily."

"Even now, we cannot find the path to peace, I admit. But this is the only path left that we can choose! It's my belief that this war will not end if we do not take this chance!"

After a few moments of discussion, one of the group stood. "I will stand by the Chairman! It's true what he said. Let's make sure the history of war ends here forever!"

"Indeed…."

"I join in!"

"Me as well!"

"I shall support!"

"I respect your courageous decision and join in."

The vote was unanimous, and applause echoed throughout the room, Dullindal bowed. "Arigato."

Mia sat in a well decorated room on a soft leather sofa. Her red Haro was turned off, much to everyone's relief. After she watched her performance during Dullindal's speech one last time she flopped across the sofa. "That wasn't fun."

As the Archangel began to move from its hidden northern hideout, amidst a large blizzard, a lone ZAFT radar unit noticed it on inferred sensors. A Lesseps class battleship received the immediate response. "AWACS 006 is sending us a message. Section 3, Point 1836, one Unknown detected. Radar shadow is the Archangel."

The commander put his hands behind his back. "So they really are on the move, just as planned. Alert HQ. Change the database entry, too. Unknown? Keh! That's an enemy!"

"Sir!"

"Shinn, what do you say we finish our simulations? We've nearly gathered as much data as we can. Let's not leave the job incomplete." Ray said, the aftermath of the speech finally quieting down.

"Yeah, good idea. I've been thinking up a new attack pattern that I've been wanting to try too." The boy gave a thumbs up. "Let's see how it works this time!"

"I'm anxious to see it."

On the bridge, something else was occurring all together. "Incoming message from HQ!"

Arthur leaned over Burt's station and read. "'Minerva is to go and support the troops conducting Operation Angel Down, effective immediately.'"

"Eh?" The captain gasped.

Dullindal moved the black pawn in position to take the white rook. "Well now, all the pieces are in place." After a pause he looked at the discarded pieces, already removed from the game. He picked up a knight and stared at it. "Or are they?" He asked no one as he replayed the battle with Destroy, in its entirety. "As expected the black and white knights had moved against the rook. But these two…." He paused at the video of the Murasame and ShEZAMS. "Are they black, or white? And yet I must see what the Red Knight will do. These two are unknowns. Iie, only one is an unknown piece, it's just that the Blue Knight has returned to the game." He took a breath and sighed. "In the next few moves everything must become clear… or else trouble may arise."

"Attention! Attention! All hands prepare for immediate departure. Condition Yellow alert in effect!" The intercom blared inside Shinn's quarters, Ray standing over him.

"Think it's started?" Shinn asked as he inserted another disk.

"Most likely." Ray mused.

"Hey Ray, can I ask you something?" The younger boy asked him without looking.

"I believe you just did."

"Very funny. But seriously, how come you haven't moved back in to these quarters?"

"Because it would feel strange."

"Eh?"

"I know that Adam was your best friend. And I also know that you like to keep as much of the people you lost with you. That's why you never sold or threw away his things. I don't think I could ever sleep in a bed that belonged to a friend like that."

"I see. Well, thank you Ray. I'm glad you understand. You're not so bad yourself, you know. Even if Adam called you a stick-in-the-mud." As Ray tilted to one side, and the computer buzzed in failure. "Damnit! Why is it everything I try won't work against the bastard!"

"Shinn, let me give it a try."

"Wha? Um, okay." Within a few minutes the computer beeped in victory. "Eh? How'd you do that?"

"Well, it took a lot of doing, and I was extremely lucky, my pilot skills being low in comparison, but I may have found the perfect strategy against Freedom. It's true that Freedom is quick and also accurate, but it never aims for the cockpit!"

"Uwah?"

"It will always aim for either the weapons or the main camera. This is where the victory lies."

"So Adam, what do you want for lunch today?" Meyrin and he walked through the halls of Archangel peacefully.

"Curry Rice sounds good." He scribbled down his answer.

"Again?"

"Then how about a beef bowl?"

"Too fatty."

"A meat bun or two?"

"That might work, but they're usually rather hard."

"Hmm, I'm at a loss then."

Just then, something rocked the ship and alarms started blaring. "What the hell?" Meyrin braced herself against a wall.

"Bridge!" Adam said out loud and ran for the nearest elevator.

"Right behind you!"

Around the same time, on the bridge of the Archangel…. "Kira will you stop pacing? You'll wear a dent in the bulkhead!" Cagalli turned around and looked at him.

"Sorry. It's just… we're so close to ZAFT territory, and yet it's been completely quiet. I don't think they'd let us go, so what are they waiting for? Something's up."

"Kira-kun." The captain said with sympathy in her voice.

Suddenly, Milly's screen went completely nuts. "He's right! Artillery rounds incoming from the rear!"

"Evade! Engines to full! 10 degrees to port, up angle 15!" Six explosive shells impacted the snow around the ship, the shockwaves shaking them up.

"Babis approaching from our port side! Starboard aft has incoming BaCOEs! Exact number unknown, but I'm detecting a Lesseps class on long range scanners!" Milly yelled again.

Adam and Meyrin entered the bridge. "What's going on?"

"We're under attack! By ZAFT!" Kira said. The newly entered couple gasped. "Murrue-san! I'm going to launch! Whatever you do, don't make fatal hits! If they're doing this, then they may be trying to make us our enemy by forcing us to kill!"

"Me too!" Adam announced as he followed Kira to the lift.

"Stop right there, Adam!" Kira halted him. "No one else is to sortie! We're on a mission! I'm going to bring every single Murasame we have back to ORB! I won't risk their lives here and now!"

"Kira-sama!" Amagi gasped from "the pit" behind the captain's chair.

"No argument's Adam!" Kira said quickly as the elevator door closed behind him.

"Then, what can I do to help?" Meyrin put her hands on the captain's armrest.

"Eh?"

"You're shorthanded up here! What do you need me to do? I'll do it!"

"Jump in the pit and man the Valiants and radar with Amagi."

"Hai!" Meyrin obeyed quickly.

Adam took a spare seat and watched everyone at work. "Incoming Babis at 7 oclock, number: 4!"

"Missiles coming in from the opposite side! Number: 6!"

"Arm anti-beam cartridges in the missile tubes. Begin anti-mobile suit tactics! But make sure not to kill any of them! Shake up the BaCOEs on our tail, Warthogs, fire!"

Within a few minutes of conversation such as this, and a few explosions around the dodging ship, Adam heard a certain voice that was different from the rest. "Kira Yamato, Freedom, ikkimas!"

Freedom was out of the linear catapult like a bat out of hell. When it spread its eight wings, four Babis came into view, attempting to take a shot of the inside of the ship. "I won't let you hurt anyone on that ship!" Kira's seed broke as his mind became clear. As he rotated upside-down, all five of his beam weapons hurtled towards the suits, getting all four in the head and one in its rifle arm. He pulled out both beam sabers and sliced up their wings like they were butter.

The BaCOEs on the ground were persistant. Two of the rocket launcher models fired the top rows of missiles, something the legged ship's CWIS cannons had to take care of. "Ten degrees portside!" The captain ordered. "We'll use that plateau as a shield."

"Valiant one, tei!" Amagi ordered.

"Valiant two, tei!" Meyrin also cried. Two yellow balls of electricity erupted from the side cannons firing back into the squad of BaCOEs, each one dancing around them.

Three Babis cleared the line of fire for their chest cannons and fired at Freedom. Kira dodged left to miss the attacks, and rolled right for the second round. From his upside-down position he fired all five weapons again, effectively decapitating and dismembering two of the enemy suits. "Murrue-san!" Kira tried to open communications, but he had no time as a Babi tried its attack run from the right with a blaster shot that he easily avoided. Kira shot out the head in response.

Above, the AWACS mobile suit recorded the battle, most likely for posterity, but also sent accurate data to the Lesseps class ship, which fired its cannons at the legged ship. The shells impacted just short of the enemy, but close enough to shake them up. A Babi's missile got through their guard and impacted the bow of the ship. This hit rattled everyone, and woke up a certain man with Mwu la Flaga's voice. "Oi, oi, oi! They're just gonna leave me like this?"

More missiles came from below, starboard aft, which an anti-beam cartridge set off before they could touch the ship. "Kuso!" Kira tried to remain calm as he pulled out his hip rail cannons, sending the BaCOE formation to scatter before the beams hit the ground beside them.

"Just what is going on?" The captain mused.

"This isn't good!" Amagi called from the pit. "We're being corralled like a bunch of cattle!"

"I know that's what they're doing! But why did ZAFT turn violent all of a sudden?"

The Navigator took his observation. "Captain, we're completely surrounded!"

From the starboard radar station. "Starboard aft, BaCOE's, number: 8! They're coming for another pass."

From the port radar station. "At 10 o'clock, Babis: 9!"

Meyrin cried from the pit. "Missiles incoming from the rear!"

"How many?" The Captain asked quickly.

"Too many!"

"Kaihee, Neuman!"

"Kuso!" Kira once again emptied his busters into the sky intercepting the mass of missiles before they got close to the ship.

"Captain!" Amagi was almost about to climb out from his station. "I know this ship had the worthy goal of avoiding meaningless fights, but we won't win this at the rate things are going! Please authorize deadly force! If that isn't acceptable, then please use the Murasame squadron!" As his begging continued, Kira pulled out a beam saber and entered the quagmire of Babis, decapitating and dismembering each unit he could reach, not a single swipe of his sword was wasted.

"I know what you're saying," Murrue sighed. "but you remember what Kira-kun said as well!"

In the dining hall, things were getting tense for the group of ORB soldiers. "Argh! Chikshou! Lieutenant Amagi, please let us head out!"

More rounds from the Lesseps hurtled towards the ship as it slowly advanced. Kira's rifle's midoric discharges lanced through each of them one at a time until a BaCOE fired its back cannons at him, making Freedom dance away. The last few missiles detonated behind the ship of legend. "If we can get to the ocean, we can take cover! Everyone try their best until we get there!"

"Hai!" The entire bridge crew said.

Inside the Lesseps class, the commander held his arms behind his back as the reports came in. "The target is proceeding more to the west, by 10 clicks."

"All Babis of the Eagle squad have been hit, they're pulling out."

He put his hand up to his chin. "Well, the Freedom and Archangel are definitely living up to their reputation. Make sure the mobile suits don't get too fired up. If they do, we won't last until our backup arrives."

"Sir, the only reason for that is because all we're doing is surrounding them. Waging a defense like this is only pushing us back! Instead of waiting for the Minerva, shouldn't we put all our forces into a frontal assault?"

"Heh. You weren't at Jackin Due, or at JOSH-A Alaska, were you?"

"Wha?"

"Rushing forward towards success and in the end letting them escape is something that you can't recover. We have to think of what comes after. We'll let Impulse and Minerva handle them head on, just as our orders stated. They're our military aces after all."

In the red and gray ZAFT battleship, Shinn was in his room, clothed in his flight suit, and his helmet held tightly in his hands. In the Captain's chambers, Athrun pounded the desk loudly. "You heard what the Chairman said. 'Take out Logos!' Since when has the Archangel turned into Logos? Don't you see that there's something fishy about this order? I demand you call HQ again and…."

"Damn it, I did that already, TWICE!" Talia stood up, sending her chair flying back. It shut Athrun up. "The answer was the same each time. 'The Archangel and Freedom fuel the flames of war and make battlefields erupt into chaos without ever showing their intention. They are considered a threat that can't be left unhindered and shall be taken away from future affairs.' That's the logic PLANT is using!"

"But…!"

"There's nothing that can be done by you now, Athrun! This operation is going on as we speak!"

Athrun gritted his teeth hard.

Two BaCOEs charged forward on their treads, firing missiles at Freedom, which Kira slid to the side and dodged, rocketing forward and arming his beam saber. Before the BaCOEs could react he sliced off a front leg and the missile battery, making the dog-like suits tumble to a stop. From above the AWACS broadcast to the new arrival that was closing in. "Incoming visual from the AWACS!" Burt said. "Patching it through."

Arthur looked up at the screen it showed. "Oh?"

It was also put through to the pilot's lounge, where Ray and Luna watched as Shinn entered. Ray gave a small smile to the new arrival, and the Impulse pilot sent a larger one back, filled with cocky confidence. It was a look that made Luna's heart skip a beat with worry. She didn't know what to make of it.

"And you've been clinging to the past long enough, Athrun!" Talia continued to argue with him. He hissed in return. "I know you don't want to go up against someone who you fought side by side with, but the situation has changed drastically! Not only that but a person's attitude and heart can change as time passes! Don't tell me that you haven't changed as well!"

"Uh!" Athrun's gasp was completely audible.

"Wake up and smell the coffee! Look at the situation we're in, in the present, not the past!"

Athrun was about to retort when a message came through her computer from the XO. "Captain, the AWACS signal has come in. The operations area will be coming up in short order."

"I'm on my way." She donned her hat as she exited the room.

Athrun raced after her. "Captain!"

"If you don't like it, then confine yourself to your quarters, else I'll confine you to the brig!"

"Ksh!"

"But with that ship as our opponent, our fight will be a desperate one as well." Gladys walked away without another word.

Once on the command deck, and in her seat, the blonde woman returned to her professional state. "Shield the bridge! Condition Red announced! Anti-ship, anti-mobile suit tactics: Arm weapons!"

"Condition Red announced! Condition Red announced! Pilots, please stand by in their units!" The call came over the intercom. With the first buzzer, Shinn grabbed his helmet and started the slow walk to the hangar elevator.

"CWIS, Tristan, Isolde, armed! All launchers load tubes with Parsifal missiles!" Arthur did his duty without question.

Athrun's elevator opened on the floor of the pilot's lounge and he started towards it. Inside, the normally silent Ray spoke. "Shinn. It'll be okay. I know that you can take him."

"Uwa?" Shinn blinked in surprise. Soon his confident smile returned. "Sank you."

Shinn's elevator arrived and he started to step in just as Athrun entered the lounge. "Uh? Shinn!" He yelled. "Don't do this!"

"Ksh!" Shinn scoffed as he jammed the close button.

"Athrun…." Luna looked on in sympathy, understanding his plight fully.

Something wasn't sitting right with Adam. The explosions had stopped, and there wasn't anyone on their tail. 'We couldn't have shaken them off that easily, could we?' He thought. 'No. Something must be coming.' Kira was thinking on the same lines as he surveyed the area.

"Distance left to target point: 20!" Arthur reported. "The enemy's encounter is now imminent."

"Jamming warheads fire! Full spread! Send out Impulse!"

"Sir!"

The Isolde cannons fired simultaneously, the blasts spreading out in front of Archangel, its EMP shockwave coating the ship. On the Archangel. "Captain, the sensors are gone!"

"Eh?"

"These are jamming warheads!"

This was bad news to the Captain. Murrue knew what to do though. "10 degrees portside! Descend!"

Minerva's Central Catapult raised the little blue jet to the runway as the green lights spread across it. Bee, bee, bee, buzzzzzz! "Shinn Asuka, Core Splendor, ikkimas!" He hit the throttle and ejected into the blizzard outside, barrel rolling to get his bearings in the correct direction. The Chest Flyer and Leg Flyer were soon in coming. Lastly, the Force Silhouette unfolded as it took to the cold, gray skies. Core Splendor folded in half, and the lasers guided the legs to it, which extended as both accelerated to meet the chest. The arms unfolded, revealing the shield and beam rifle, and lastly, the Force weapons pack coupled itself to Impulse's back. The Gundam's Phase Shift armor covered itself in an almost heroic color scheme of red, blue, white, and gold, as the shield stretched out to its full length.

Gladys's order was tough for her to say. "Begin the assault!" All of Minerva's missiles fired at once, taking the blind Archangel by surprise as the missiles slammed into the snow behind them.

Kira was also dodging the large blasts as he skimmed the mountainside. As his sensors finally came back to life, they immediately let off a proximity alarm coming from above. In a flash of thruster light, Impulse came down upon him. "Hhhaaaaaaaaahhhh!" Shinn cried as he fired his rifle at the nuclear suit. Freedom spread its wings and twisted away quickly.

Archangel was being lead to the perfect spot by the explosions. As they rounded a cliff, a familiar sight slid into their path nearly hidden in the fog of the blizzard. "Minerva!" Ramius's heart skipped a beat. Adam and Meyrin almost jumped out of their seats.

The Isolde cannons had the perfect bearing. "Visual of Archangel confirmed. Distance of 2000! Isolde, TEI!" Arthur ordered as Talia just watched, stonefaced.

All three cannons fired at once. The Archangel's captain's marigold eyes shot open in shock. Neuman cranked his rudder wheel hard, lifting the Archangel's left "leg" up as the cannon shells passed under them. The incredibly resilient ship went at a 45 degree angle as it just barely avoided collision with Minerva. "Gwwaaahhh!" Arthur was left in shock at the maneuver.

The goddess of war began a gigantic U-turn, as the ashitsuki leveled out once more. "Sorry about that." Neuman said, breathless.

"Don't apologize!" Cagalli said to him quickly.

Adam launched out of his chair and stood next to the Captain. "It can't be! Why is that ship after us?" The boy spoke aloud, not caring about the pain it caused in his throat.

"Just how did they manage to dodge something like that?" The Lesseps class XO returned his jaw into place.

"Heh." The commander grinned slyly. "Well, looks like the last piece to the game has finally arrived. Let's pull out some notepads and see what Gladys does."

The Archangel went to full burn as more explosions went about it. Kira looked towards his ship in shock, before his attention returned to his fight at hand, as Shinn fired his rifle twice more, one accurate enough to hit Freedom's shield.

Archangel's missile batteries shot off, sending a counterattack against Minerva, giving them all a shake and a scare. "Gwwwaaahhh!" Arthur braced himself against his console.

"It's okay, everyone!" Gladys knew exactly what was happening. "As long as we keep steady, they won't hit us."

"Eh?"

"I knew they weren't planning on aiming for us."

"Wha?"

"Burt! Open up the International SOS channel!"

"Uh, hai!" With a few keyboard taps, he spoke again. "Channel open, ma'am!"

The woman picked up the phone in her chair. "This is ZAFT military vessel Minerva's captain speaking, Talia Gladys. Archangel, are you reading me?"

"Eh?" Arthur, and everyone else for that matter, was taken aback by her actions.

Milly's console picked up the transmission. "Captain! Minerva's sending us a message!"

"Eh? Onscreen!" Murrue responded. Adam helped Meyrin climb out of the pit, and stood watching the video monitor with her.

"Our ship is currently under orders from HQ to attack and destroy the Archangel." The blonde woman said without reservation. Just about every female on the targeted vessel's bridge flinched. "But seeing the situation as it is, if you lower your weapons, disarm your mobile suits, and surrender, this ship will also end its assault." As she announced this Kira looked towards the Archangel once again as he tried to shake off Impulse.

"What did she just say?" The Lesseps commander was fuming. "Our order was to annihilate them! Gladys has a lot of explaining to do!"

"Captain…." Arthur's jaw nearly dislodged, it was so far open.

"This warning is the only one you will get. I will not be convinced by any counterproposals. The lives of your crew will be guaranteed. Please make the wise choice." She hung up the phone and the transmission ended.

Murrue's eyes twitched as she thought. "Captain…." Neuman looked to her.

Everything was silent for a moment. "Well, that's just like the Minerva's captain, isn't it?" She sighed. "I had a feeling she didn't want us as an enemy."

Amagi stood up on his chair. "But surrendering to ZAFT will mean that Cagalli-sama won't make it back to ORB!"

"Amagi!" Cagalli stood rapidly. "Stop being selfish! What about the lives of the crew itself?"

"Uh!" Miriallia gasped as she received a text message. "Incoming message from Kira!"

"Urgent: Dive/Dive/Dive

"Priority1: Take Cagalli to ORB. Head for the sea. That's what matters here!"

How he had time to type it was unknown, as he was fending off Impulse, high and low, not able to shake him off.

"Kira, that's not the point!" Cagalli was in a panic, not realizing that he couldn't hear her. "If we don't agree to their demands they'll shoot us down! I don't want anyone here getting hurt!"

"Captain Ramius!" Meyrin clenched Adam's hand tight. "Make use of us!"

"Eh?" The entire bridge besides Adam and she turned towards them.

"We're still members of that ship's crew. Use us as bargaining chips!"

"Meyrin, that's…." Cagalli was stunned at her request.

"Let me talk to them. They'll listen to me!" The pinkish-redhead clutched her chest. "I don't want to see this ship destroyed either!"

"Meyrin…." The captain sighed. "Miriallia, open the same channel they used."

"Hai!"

The captain picked up her line. "Archangel's captain, Murrue Ramius speaking. I must say that I am greatful that you extended the option."

XO Trine gasped once more. "That's the engineer from ORB!"

Talia let a soft smile caress her face. 'I had a feeling….'

"Unfortunately, that is an offer we cannot accept."

"Eh?"

"Our ship still has more to do. The EAF and PLANT is still trying to divide the world into two colors. There apparently is no room for a third color like ours, and we may often clash. But that is all the more reason we cannot remove ourselves from this world. But I am not about to escape without fair compensation. Therefore, I make a proposal of my own in hopes that you will take it."

"Nani?" Talia was stunned. "Just what could they offer to us?"

"For ceasing your pursuit of our vessel, we shall return two of your crewmembers whom we rescued from the Kurata battle, Meyrin Hawke and Adam Cancho."

"Eh?" Arthur stood up, looking back and forth between the video monitor, the captain, and Meyrin's empty seat.

"No doubt you are skeptical of my request, so therefore I shall put both of them on the line." The captain held out the phone to them. "Meyrin, Adam."

The two teens came in front of the camera, their arms wrapped over each other's shoulders, Adam flashing the peace sign with a big grin on his face. Meyrin took up the line. "Captain, can you hear me?"

Talia's hand twitched for a moment before she snatched the phone up and put it to her ear. "How do I know you're really Meyrin Hawke?"

"Hmm, let's see…. You like the old Japanese PC game MajiPuri because of its touching plot!" She stuck her tongue out at the camera.

Talia sweatdropped. 'Damn, guess that secret's out.' She thought.

"Captain, please just listen to Captain Ramius. I know that orders are orders, but you've got the power to change that just this once. Although we've been well taken care of here for the past few weeks, we want to come back."

"Captain… this might be a trick!" Arthur said.

"Shut it, Arthur! Just who was the one that got that game for me in the first place?"

Arthur flinched. "Um… her and me." He lowered his head.

'Damn. Two secrets out, now.'

"Captain, please let me come home. I want to see everyone again. I want to see Lumi!" Meyrin's eyes started to well up. "Ever since she got taken out I've always wondered… if she was dead or alive. Please let us come back!"

"Captain…."

"Meyrin… put Ramius back on."

"Captain!"

"Ramius speaking." The video switched back to the Archangel's captain.

"Proposal… accepted." Talia was slow to answer. "As an officer of FAITH, I exercise my right to edit the order and authorize this deal, but under our terms! We would like you to send Meyrin back immediately as a gesture of good faith, and Adam returned as you submerge into the ocean. This is not up to debate. Agreed?"

"Agreed." Murrue sighed in relief. "I thank you for this. We will send Meyrin in an escape pod shortly."

"And thank you for keeping them safe." Both hung up their respective lines. "If someone wishes to object, they can confine themselves to quarters, is that clear?"

"Hai!" The entire Minerva bridge crew said. No one left.

"Meyrin, Adam, you'd better get going. Don't waste time on goodbyes. We'll see each other again, I know it." The Archangel's captain smiled. Meyrin and Adam saluted her before they left.

Talia opened an internal channel to the pilot's lounge. "Lunamaria."

"Uh? Hai!" She stood at attention, Athrun and Ray in shock.

"Go down to the hangar. We're going to be taking someone aboard that you're going to greet." The video switched back to the view of the Archangel before Luna could ask questions.

"Eh?" She looked to both Athrun and Ray, who were just as dumbfounded as her.

At the escape pod hatch, Meyrin and Adam stood holding hands. "I'll see you back on our ship soon enough, Adam."

The orange haired boy nodded and scribbled on a piece of paper. "Say hi to Luna for me when you get there."

"I will, and I'll let Shinn know you're on your way too." She stood up on her tiptoes and leaned into him, their lips caressing. "Be safe."

"You too." Adam whispered as she climbed into the pod and sealed it shut. It shot out of the tube and headed for Minerva.

The battleship goddess opened its port catapult and admitted the tiny pod into docking position. As the hatch shut, the pod was wheeled into the hangar at the same time that Lunamaria got there. Talia picked up the line again. "Reception of pod complete. As promised, we will suspend our pursuit. But if Adam Cancho is not returned to us, we will pursue with deadly force."

"Understood. And please, forgive us for the escape." The opposing Captain nodded. The transmission ended for real this time.

Guards surrounded the life pod, with weapons leveled, as Lunamaria approached. The pod door opened slowly, revealing a girl in a green ZAFT uniform and pinkish-red hair, put up in shoulder length pigtails. The similar colors of the two girls' eyes met. In realization, their faces spread into wide smiles of surprise and their vision clouded with tears. They ran to each other and embraced tightly. "Lumi! It's really you! Thank God!"

"Mirei!" Luna wrapped her one good arm around her little sister. "I thought you were dead!"

Two young mechanics rushed in, getting supplies for the next repair job. The girls' sobs echoed throughout the chamber. "Eh? That voice sounds familiar…." The younger of the two, with an orange tuft of hair said, as he turned towards the sound. "N…no way! Y…Youlan!"

"Eh?" The older and tanner boy turned to where he was pointing. "M…Meyrin? Meyrin Hawke?" He called out to her as they raced towards her.

"Youlan! Vino!" She said with trembling lips and she suddenly wrapped them both in a huge hug. "I missed you guys too!"

"Good to see you too, Meyrin." Vino said, blushing slightly from the unexpected affection.

"He is going to absolutely go nuts when he gets here!" Meyrin smiled.

"Eh? He who?" Luna tilted her head to one side.

"Adam, Lumi. Adam's coming back too." She smiled brightly. The smile turned into fear and surprise when the entire ship shook from a nearby explosion.

At the same time as the siblings were re-united… "Gladys, that idiot! Why is she acting like such a coward?" The Lesseps commander was boiling over. "Have all squads re-initiate their attack! That captain's taunts will not go unpunished. I'll not let them get away!" The BaCOEs and Babis charged again. The flying purple suits shot missiles from their wings at the legged ship. One of those missiles exploded right in front of the Minerva, shaking the entire ship.

Thinking the battle was over, Kira was just about to relax, until the missiles started firing again. As he tried to get back into the canyon, Shinn stopped him by firing a shot in his path and rising to meet him eye to eye. "Quit running!" He went to pursue. The young Coordinator child didn't even hear the distress band.

"Shinn!" Athrun cried out, looking at the monitors, even though he couldn't hear him.

"Commander Willard!" Gladys was angry, very angry. "Just what are you doing?"

"I am destroying the enemy! You have already received your communications officer back, and from what I've heard, the Cancho boy is a loose cannon! It would be better off if he were destroyed, along with the ship! You can either help or stay out of the way!" His battleship started forward on its snow treads. "I don't care if you're in FAITH or not, but after this plan was arranged so perfectly to pressure them, there is no way I will waste this opportunity!" Two Babis fired their core cannons at the escaping ship, quickly deflected by an anti-beam cartridge. "Since you insist on not doing so, then we will!"

"Captain!" Arthur turned to her.

The Lesseps fired all six of its cannons. Shells hurtled at the Archangel, exploding all around it. Adam fell to the floor. "What the hell? They're shooting at us again? I thought we had a deal!"

The bridge of the ship was also in disarray. "The Lesseps is advancing! It appears that the mobile suits out there are under its command!" Milly cried out.

"Damn it!" Amagi snarled. "We've been had!"

"Shit! Archangel!" Kira looked back once again and fired at Shinn, who blocked with his shield as he advanced.

"Kyyaaaaaaahhhhh!" Impulse charged forward.

Freedom fired a shot at Impulse's head. It tilted to one side at the last second, the shot barely missing. "Uh!" Kira gasped.

"Every time you try that trick! Don't think you can get away with it!" Shinn cried out. The deep red seed behind his eyes shattered in a flash of rainbow colored lights, as his pupils became a solidified shade. Kira fired two more shots high, which a few twitches of the joystick, Shinn dodged.

Kira gasped once again. "Shinn!" Athrun stood. "You have to stop! Kira will kill you!"

One rifle shot. Shinn raised his shield arm and the blast went under. Another shot. Impulse tilted to one side as the blast skimmed past its cheek. Both mobile suits exchanged fire as they circled around each other. "Kggh!" Shinn snarled as Kira lined up another shot. Impulse's rifle arm rose up, and the shot was wasted. The next shot was blocked when Impulse raised its shield to protect its face. "Heh, perfect plan."

Freedom backed away as Shinn went on the offensive, firing shots that were right on the mark and had to be defended against with his shield. Freedom pulled out the saber on its left hip, as Impulse yanked its sword out of its right shoulder casing. They clashed swords and shields in the sky, sparks flying. Two seeded pilots, battling in the most fearsome match ever seen. Shinn threw his shield at Freedom and fired a rifle blast directly at it. The deflection angle bit into Freedom's left shoulder armor. The next shot just barely skimmed over its head as Impulse closed, swinging a beam saber in its left hand. Kira ducked under it, and whipped out his own, curving high. Both that arm and the head were removed in that one swing. "Minerva! Chest Flyer! Force Silhouette!" The order was given as the Phase Shift armor disengaged. Core Splendor disengaged from the chest and legs, but the Force pack stayed on the Chest Flyer. Shinn remote piloted it to ram straight into Freedom.

Kira blocked it with his shield, but that wasn't going to help with Shinn's plan in action. Going forward, Core Splendor emptied its vulcans into the top half of his suit, detonating it. "Grrrrugggghhh!" Kira grunted as he tried to keep it together. He began to free fall.

Adam pulled the nearest phone out of the wall. "Captain! What the hell is going on?"

"The Lesseps class has started attacking us again! I don't think they're under orders from Minerva though!"

"Kuso! Where's Kira? Can't he get those mobile suits off our backs?"

"Last we saw, he was engaging Impulse!"

"Shinn? Shit! Captain! Let me go out!"

"No! You know Kira's orders! And I believe in him!" At those words, Adam snarled and slammed the phone back into its cradle.

As Freedom tried to recover from its fall, Impulse was already re-forming. Kira tried sliding down the mountain, but lost his balance and fell on his side. "Kkkkgggghhhh!"

"Kira!" Cagalli saw him in her monitor, but more explosions shaking the ship made it impossible to say more.

Freedom righted itself, and Impulse drew a new beam saber from the new Silhouette. " Hhhwwwwaaaaahhhhh!" He took a downwards swing at Freedom, which took off before the hit could connect. The snow the beam saber connected with instantly turned to steam. "Didn't I tell you you couldn't get away?" He yelled as he came up to eye level.

"Kgh!" Kira sneered as he tried to maneuver away.

Impulse took two swings, one forward, and one backhand as Freedom went on the retreat. "You're the one that killed Stellar!" Shinn's rage was unparalleled at this point. It was almost to the brink of insanity, as it almost looked like he was smiling as he was yelling. "And I was trying to stop her!" He brought his sword down in another vertical swipe.

Freedom flipped over and came straight forward, sweeping its saber straight for the waistline. At the last second, Shinn uncoupled the Leg Flyer, so the Gundam's sword passed between them. Kira couldn't react to the move fast enough as Shinn shot out his left wing. "Ugh!" He winced as his cockpit shook.

"Costal distance: just 10 more!" The Navigator cried as missiles rained down around the Archangel.

Amagi was desperate. "We're not going to make it like this! Sortie the Murasames!"

"No! We'll shake them off!" Ramius was dead set.

"What about Kira? He's in major trouble!" Cagalli was panicked too.

Neo sat up and braced himself against the next explosion. "Yadday yadday. How come it's always so shaky around here?"

Kira was desperately trying to make it back to his ship, but with only one thruster-wing, it was rough going, especially with Impulse still on his tail. Freedom ducked under one of Shinn's shots in haste. "I'm going to take you down! I'm going to do it this very second!"

Shinn fired two more shots to the waist. One was able to be evaded, but the next had to be blocked with Freedom's shield. "His movements…something like this…no doubt now that he's one…." Kira tried to find an opening to fire his rifle, but Shinn was waiting for it, and his green beam of energy lanced through it.

Seeing his chance, Shinn sent out another call. "Minerva! Sword Silhouette!"

"Captain, they're nearly at the coast!" Arthur turned to her. "They're about to get away!"

She sighed. "Arm the Tannhauser. Target the Archangel!" The main cannon extened from its housing inside the ship.

"Lock down all bulkheads! Prepare to dive!" Murrue cried over the explosions.

"Hai!"

"Kira! What of Kira?" Cagalli was completely set on her brother.

"Kira-sama will be all right!" Amagi called from the pit.

"Rouge will go! I'll sortie!"

"Don't be an idiot!" Murrue retorted.

"Captain!" Milly was on alert. "The starboard hatch is opening!"

"Eh?"

Adam zipped up his flight suit. 'Everything is turning chaotic. At the very least I have to save the Archangel.' He picked up two semi-automatic pistols and loaded them. With this in place he hopped into the elevator and went down into the hangar. As soon as the doors opened he flew out and fired at the guards directly where it counted, right in the head. The initial stun of the attack was still being felt as Adam ran towards the orange Murasame, shooting out any technician that got in the way. When he got to the console, he programmed the cage to wheel the Murasame into the catapult the moment it was activated.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" Murdock yelled as the rest of the techs ganged up on him in hand to hand combat.

Adam's eyes became a solid brown as he fended them off, tossing them each to the ground in turn, and shooting them in the head. "Don't worry, you won't die." He said as the clips dropped to the floor. "Rubber bullets don't kill." He hopped into the orange machine and activated the program, overriding the catapult controls in the process. As the hatch opened, Adam readied himself to go. "Adam Cancho, Murasame, kissing the sky!"

The Archangel crew watched the Murasame launch as they touched the water. "Amagi!"

"It wasn't one of mine! All ORB pilots are accounted for in the crew lounge!"

"The Murasame's call sign is changing! Its…Falcon2!"

"Adam?"

The boy's suit transformed into MS and armed itself with rifle and saber, flying straight into the formation of Babis. Adam tossed the saber into the eye of one, and shot out the two wings of another as he came close and ripped the saber out, along with the head. He transformed back into jet mode and fired the missiles on its wings and inner casings, stripping two more of their limbs. 'I have to give them enough time!'

Freedom was nearly at the coast as Impulse rendezvoused with the Sword Silhouette. Putting away saber and rifle, Shinn ripped out the beam boomerang sending it spinning towards Kira at full speed. "Uh!" Kira gasped as he flipped around over the ocean and blocked with his shield. The impact sent the boomerang into the water, but also sent Kira flying towards it as well.

The Silhouette ejected one of the Excalibur anti-ship swords, and Impulse grabbed it with both hands, activating it. "Trrrraaaaaahhhhh!" He nose dived towards the nuclear suit.

Archangel was halfway submerged. Adam's opponents started to disappear as they pulled back. He couldn't figure out why… until he saw Minerva. 'Oh shit! Archangel, get below, now! Kira… where's Kira?' He saw him, or rather, them. Freedom more than gently caressing the water with Impulse heading straight for him with a Silhouette Flyer as a wingman. 'I've got to stop them!' His jet hit the throttle as fast as he could.

"We have to hurry! If they go completely under, they win!" Arthur leaned forward as Talia looked away. "TEI!"

Athrun looked on in horror as the pink and blue beam erupted from the ship, casting a straight line of plasma explosions into Archangel's position. The explosion caught Kira's eye. "Archangel!" But the alarm in his radar brought him back to the danger ahead of him.

Adam caught the explosion out of the corner of his eye, but wasn't worried about it at the moment. 'I'm not going to make it!' "Shinn!"

"Hhhrrreeeeeaaaaahhhh!"

"Agh!" Kira tried to back up as fast as possible as he shielded Freedom's torso with his shield and brought the beam saber into position to strike.

"Shinn, stop it!"

"Teeeeeeaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!" All of Impulse's momentum went to the sword.

"Don't do it!"

The sword's tip drove straight through the shield and down into the torso, coming back out the other side, as Freedom's saber javelined Impulse's head. The world was silent for a moment, when a flash of orange and purple was caught by Kira's cameras. A major explosion on the sea turned Minerva away from its target, the shockwave sweeping it to the side. As the explosion's force stretched all the way to the coast, it overtook the three mobile suits. Athrun's mouth was agape, only squeaks and gasps came from it. When the smoke cleared over the water, there was only one suit left, or more accurately, what was left of one suit. Impulse floated lopsided over the water, the Phase Shift armor down, without an arm, without a head, but everything else heavily damaged. Still in seed mode, Shinn teared up and chuckled while looking into the sky. "I did it. Stellar, with this I avenge you." He continued to laugh.

Athrun took a step forward, looking at the aftermath. "KIIIRRRRRAAAAAA!"

Chapter 23 Preview: Just what is worth believing in? Just what words are the right words to say in this position? In this time of uncertainty, the trials of love, friendship, and loyalty begin. If everyone on the stage is prepared to do battle, is it possible to stop it before it begins? Next time on Old Friends Anew: Precursor to Insanity. Protect that place of hope and dreams, Destiny!


	23. Old Friends Anew Ch 23

Old Friends Anew

Phase-23: Precursor to Insanity

(Author's note: I forgot to add this in the last chapter. MajiPuri is a bishoujo game made by Purple software. It is not for anyone under the age of 18. Please research all anime and video games before you buy them. Thank you. Last but not least: YOU'RE WELCOME PURPLE SOFTWARE!)

Streams of bubbles drove upward from the legged ship as it descended uncontrollably. The damage report came into the bridge as water started to flood in. The wounded were evacuated as fast as possible before the leaks were sealed. "The starboard wing's tail is hit! Engine one is out of commission. We're taking on water! Not only that, but the main wing's also been damaged!"

Neuman was struggling at the controls. "I'm losing power. I can't stabilize her like this!"

The captain's emergency training went into full swing. "Pump the water to the port side and give us a ballast! Try to keep us from hitting the sea floor! Release the clamps on engine one and blow it up!" The rest of the bridge crew gasped at her command. "We'll pull a feint, and make them think we're fishfood. Do it!" The right side tail, complete with its Valiant cannon, severed itself from the ship and drifted back.

Amongst the falling debris from the impact was the head and chest of a mobile suit without any phase shift armor left. Air bubbles were leaking out in massive amounts from the severed points. Inside it, alarms were going off in the cockpit. A hand was haphazardly slammed into the two buttons marked EMERGENCY: NUCLEAR REACTOR CUT OFF. Water was filling up to the pilot's waist, and it was still coming in. It didn't matter to him, though. Kira Yamato, with a trickle of blood out of his mouth, was unconscious.

As fast as a mobile suit can go underwater, a certain pink and red model dashed through the falling wreckage, and approached the dismembered chest. "Kira! Kira!" Cagalli tried to raise him on the radio, but it was no use. Rouge grasped it tightly. "This damage has massive hull breaches! And the footprint on the cockpit…."

Impulse just floated up straight, looking like the headless horseman after its latest kill. Inside, the pilot could probably be considered as insane as the headless horseman. The seed in his eyes had dissipated, but he still continued to chuckle, even as the Minerva approached him from behind. On that ship's bridge, everyone was aghast at the damage he had taken. The overload in the Archangel's detached engine finally completed, and it blew, sending a spew of water high into the air in front of them all, taking Shinn and Talia by complete surprise. As water ran down what was left of his mobile suit, Shinn looked away, unimpressed, changing his course and headed towards the ship.

Though Athrun's feet were firmly planted on the deck of the pilot's lounge, not an inch of him was immobile. Twitching and fidgeting, he had watched on in disbelief. "Archangel….Kira…." He could barely whisper the words. "That's not… POSSIBLE!"

The weather was in favor of the Archangel, even though it sure didn't seem like it. The raging blizzard they fought in continued through the night, when the ZAFT AWACS units once again dropped sonar buoys into the water. "No good. With the water this stirred up, we can't use sonar. But it looks like there's insufficient mass for it to be destroyed, even so. I wonder if they got away."

"Morton-squad, we're expanding your search radius. Be sure not to miss anything."

Amidst blizzard, rocks, metal, and flames, a boy in yellow twitched when he heard a different sound: footsteps. When they stopped in front of him, he struggled to lift his head, seeing high heeled boots. He only got up to gaze at knee length of a fur coat before he passed out again. The stranger lifted a hand, and someone was instantly at that side. "Take him and destroy the evidence. We wouldn't want our so called friends snooping around." The first person ordered, with a distinctly feminine voice. One of a girl belonging to the age group of later teens.

"Yes, Ma'am."

She turned around as similarly uniformed people ran past her to complete the task she had requested. She looked up the mountain, and the almost warm and welcoming city that was there.

In the belly of the Minerva, Shinn was winched down with applause and cheers the entire way. "Yo! Way to go!" One of the techs said when he reached ear level.

"Shinn!" Vino ran out to greet him. "That was totally awesome, Shinn!"

"Nah, no prob." The pilot joked.

"Did you really shoot him down? That Freedom?" Another interrupted.

"Yeah. Mah…."

"Shinn!" A voice he never thought he'd hear again and a face he thought he'd never see again ran towards him with a huge smile on her face.

"Me…Meyrin… H… Hawke…?"

"Shinn!" She threw herself into him and gave him a hug. "Did you miss me?"

"Meyrin?" He pulled her to arm's length and looked at her.

"It's me, Shinn. I'm real."

He pulled her into an enveloping hug. "I thought you were dead!"

"Sh…Shinn… you're crushing…me!" She squeaked.

"Whoops! Sorry." He scratched his head as he released her.

As Meyrin's sister watched on with a smile caressing her lips, her blonde crewmate passed her with hardly a word. "Shinn."

"Oh? Ray!" Shinn turned towards him.

"I'm glad it worked out, Shinn." Ray offered his hand. "It was a superb performance."

"Arigato!" Shinn was relieved and happy as he grasped the hand firmly. "Ray, it was all because of you."

"I'm not the one that saw it through to the end though."

Youlan jumped in, "Yeah, someone's going to get a medal for this one!"

Amidst the laughter from the joke, an engineer from the opposite end called out to another on that side. "Okay, close it! We're done!"

"Roger!"

Meyrin turned towards the sounds as the inner hangar door closed. She gasped and ran towards them. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Uh?"

"Why are you locking the shutter? You still have another vessel to admit!"

"Um, Ms. Hawke…. You sure you're feeling well? We've gotten orders from the bridge to shut it."

"What? What about Adam's pod? He was coming back too! The captain made a deal! He was coming back too! Let him in!"

"Sorry Miss, orders are orders."

"Then where is he? Where's my Adam? He was supposed to come after me…. Where is he? Where is he?"

"I have no idea. I'm sorry."

She fell to her knees with tears filling her eyes.

Amidst the laughter from the joke, Shinn's hawkish eyes spotted a flash of blue and parted the sea of humanity and headed towards its owner, Athrun. "Shinn, no!" Luna whispered, but not in time for him to hear.

Doing the smart thing and trying to avoid the conversation, Athrun turned towards the door. "I've claimed my revenge." Shinn said in a near standoffish manner before he could move too far. Athrun looked over his shoulder in soft anger. "And I got yours too." It was the wrong thing to say, as Athrun whirled around and grabbed the pilot's collar roughly, jostling the helmet out of his hand. "What the hell's your problem?"

"Athrun!" Luna gasped at his actions as she and a few of the techs ran forward, noticing the tension getting to dangerous levels. "Shinn!"

"Kira was… he was not planning on killing you!" Athrun snarled. "It's something he never wanted! And yet you just go ahead and...! What fucking dictionary defines that as 'revenge'?"

Shinn let out a throated growl and resumed is original attitude, even though he was shorter than the older pilot. "I'm afraid I have no idea what it is you speak of! Please end this!"

"You happy you took him out? Proud maybe? Why was he the one marked…."

"Is happiness a bad thing?" Shinn interrupted, lowering his eyebrows some more. "Is it a bad thing to rejoice after taking out the strongest enemy you have ever faced?" Athrun's restraint was nearly buckling. A fight isn't what he wanted, but it was near inevitable. "Then what do you suggest I do? Maybe weep and mope like a baby? I've got it! Pray! Or maybe I should have just allowed myself to be shot down instead?"

That did it. The gates of rage were finally burst open. "Shinn!" Athrun threw a hard right cuff into his left cheek, throwing him back a few feet.

"Damn you!" Shinn hissed after Ray caught him.

As they started for each other two people each impeded their paths. "Athrun!" Lunamaria gripped his shoulder with her good arm.

"Don't do this!" Vino was also blocking him.

As Shinn struggled against Youlan, Ray turned towards the other opponent. "Enough of this, Athrun!" It got his attention at least. "Athrun, yes there is an obvious problem with Shinn's attitude…."

"Hey!" The kid struggled a little more.

"I know you are his superior, but I judge the reprimand given just now to be just as unreasonable. Archangel and Freedom were to be destroyed by the order of headquarters. Shinn's efforts to that effect were performed well. Is that not more praiseworthy instead of faultworthy?"

"Shut up!" Athrun tried to thrust his way through. "There wasn't a reason for him to be shot down!"

"WHA?" Shinn stuck his neck out past Youlan's shoulder.

"Not Archangel either. They weren't the enemy!"

"What the hell are you saying? They're the worst…."

Ray raised an arm in front of Shinn's face and cut him off. "They're most indeed enemies." Athrun stiffened. "Though we don't know what their intentions were, when headquarters classified them as an enemy that is what they became."

"Ray!" Athrun thrust against Vino's and Luna's shoulders.

"We here are ZAFT! Whether a person is a friend or foe doesn't depend on your political persuasion or personal feelings. We fight who we are told to fight. We are to like those who we are told to like. That is the life of a soldier. We here are ZAFT. The Chairman and the Supreme Council are the ones we obey. Thus, what they classify as an enemy becomes just that."

"Why you!"

"What you continue on about is nothing but mere personal feelings. Honestly, it compromises us all." Ray saluted the hissing Athrun and took Shinn roughly by the wrist. "Come on, idiot." He forcibly dragged the boy out of the room.

"Tch!" Athrun ripped away from Vino and Luna and turned towards the door.

"Athrun!" Luna called after him.

She would have followed, except…. "Miss Hawke! Your sister!"

Luna looked towards the source, a sobbing Meyrin, in shock on the opposite side of the hangar. "Mirei!" She dashed towards the girl.

Up in space, at ZAFT's military affairs station, Yzak stormed the halls, with Dearka in tow to clean up what was left of his wake. Dullindal's speech was on both of their minds. "Egh!" Yzak snarled.

A conversation in the quiet hall between two XOs reached their ears. "You know, when the Chairman said to take out Logos, he never really told us what to do."

As Yzak passed, the second one made his answer. "How about we boycott all their products?" The officers broke out into chuckles as Yzak stopped.

The white-haired flamethrower went off. "That's not something to laugh about! Do you realize how serious the situation is? This is much worse than just fighting the Alliance!"

"Yzak…" Dearka, always attempting to calm him down succeeded once again to always fail.

"Try turning some of those gears yourselves! Or are your heads just decorative hat holders? Hmph!" He turned and stomped away without another word, leaving the two men dazed and confused.

"If your head explodes one of these days, I'm not cleaning it up." Dearka sighed.

"SHUT UP!"

After a long shower and an extremely restless night's sleep, Meyrin went to see the Captain in her civilian clothes. The young girl rang the buzzer and asked for entry. A few seconds after the door closed from her admission, a resounding slap echoed through the office.

Talia lowered her head and rubbed her cheek. "I suppose I deserved that one, so I won't press charges."

"I really don't care if you do, considering that when we get to Gibraltar I'll be resigning my commission." Meyrin put her hand in her pocket, not wanting to show that the strike she took hurt her hand as well.

"What?"

"You heard me, Captain. I'm quitting."

"I won't sign the papers."

"Then I'll appeal. I won't be a part of ZAFT anymore."

"What brought this on?"

"Oh don't pretend like you don't know! You're the cause of it! Need I remind you of the person that should be standing right here next to me? In case you forgot, his name was Adam Cancho. Did your memories of him sink with the Archangel? Or maybe you fired them off with the Tannhauser!"

"You're out of line!"

"No you're out of line! You made a deal with Ramius as a member of FAITH and yet you STILL attacked her!"

"Meyrin!"

"Now everyone on that ship is dead, including one of your own crewmates! I'm not going to be a part of a military that goes back on their words so easily!"

"Now hold it right there, Meyrin Hawke! I'm not just going to let that go unargued, you know that! Commander Willard was the one that attacked the Archangel, after the deal was made, not me!"

"I know, I saw the tapes. But you did nothing to stop him! You've got the status, you've got the emblem, but you didn't use them! Are you a golden captain or a gold plated captain?" This time it was Meyrin's turn to get slapped.

"And stay quiet! The situation was already out of my hands at that point. The agreement had already been broken. As a ZAFT soldier, even though I was against it, I was still obliged to finish the mission to the best of my abilities. That's why I ordered the Tannhauser to fire. The situation was already lost."

"And for that, Adam had to die?" The girl whispered through her teeth. Gladys turned her head away. "Now you know why I'm sick of this." She left without asking to be excused, to go into her quarters for another bout of tears.

The search for Archangel was called off that night, and in the morning, Minerva received new orders to go to their original destination, Gibraltar. Also that morning, Chairman Dullindal gave an address to the world. "My plans were never to do something as dumb as assigning troops to go against the people I named before. Taking out Logos means something different to me. I only want to take their twisted war system that they made and end it for all eternity, most definitely." Of course, the civilians angered by the attacks by Destroy and other EAF atrocities had other ideas. They took weapons, tanks, missiles, machine guns, and anything else they could find and laid siege to the mansions, castles, and business buildings of those on the Logos list.

Even the EAF occupied some of those buildings. "Kuso! You're the one's that are getting tricked! Those Coordinator bastards are manipulating you!" One tried to reason with them while taking cover from the bullets. As he came out from his hiding place to return fire, he was felled by another round of bullets.

"'Coordinators are a dangerous institution; demons that we can never reason with.' Why do people feel this way?" Dullindal continued, the flashbulbs still going off around his dais. "More accurately, who said it in the first place, and when?" The data raided from the Lodonia Lab was flashed across the screen. "From where I stand, if Logos could do things like this without hesitation, they are far more demonic. And all of it was done for the simple reason to fight us. It's true that all humans will fight when danger closes in on them. That's called instinct. That's why attacking someone that's attackable comes so easily. That is all our history records, sadly." Yuuna listened to the message as he twiddled his thumbs nervously. "Once this war is over, weapons won't be needed. Unless buildings are destroyed, then there's nothing to rebuild. If fields aren't burned, then those starving won't buy food. Since they can neither profit from nor control a peaceful world, they always tried to force us to fight. Please let's end this madness now. We have no desire to kill one another! Let us show that we can live without this massive amount of weapons! Shouldn't we be able to live without the endless waltz of war? Compromise and communication. Those are what we will use to break from this world molded by their bloodied hands, once and for all."

Dullindal's beggings continued to fall on deaf ears down on earth as civilian rebels stormed another castle. "Lord Djibril!" One snarled.

"Blue Cosmos' leader is here!" A second yelled over the gunfire.

"Drag him out to the sq…" The third of them shot out a security camera, one that linked directly to Djibril's set of TVs.

The Logos members opened up windows to him. "Djibril!"

"Please help me! The mobs have gotten inside my mansion!"

"Djibril, please do something!"

"Gwwwaaaahhhhh!"

"This can't…." The man himself clenched his fist so tight his knuckles turned white. "This can't be happening! Damn it!" He took off running, leaving his meowing cat just watching him. "Curse you, Dullindal!"

SLAP! "Yep, the arm's as good as new." Luna rubbed her right wrist, her arm and head finally unbandaged. "Now as for you, you're going to march right up the captain and report for duty!"

"Forget it." Meyrin rubbed her cheek and stared daggers at her big sister.

"Meyrin!"

"Lumi, don't you get it? I LOVED him! I loved him and left expecting to see him again. ZAFT took that away from me when they took away their credibility in that battle. I can't be a part of them anymore, and neither should you!"

"I can't believe that's coming out of your mouth, Mirei! You couldn't wait to have your birthday so you could enlist! Everyone else waited for you so we could all join together! 'Together we'll protect our home and each other in our own ways.' We promised to uphold that statement. Are you telling me that's all a lie?"

"And how am I going to do that in an institution that uses treachery and deceit to get what it wants? That's not the ZAFT I joined, and it wasn't yours either. Do what you choose now, but I'm going to find a different way."

"Mirei!"

"Just leave me alone!"

In the Archangel's infirmary, two pretty girls entered to see one of the patients, who just happened to be struggling to get himself to sit up, his bandaged arms making it difficult to do. Cagalli put down the food tray she brought for his brother and sat next to him, supporting him as he erected himself. "You okay there? Hey!"

"Sorry about that." Kira said after the pain subsided.

"But I'm relieved. Sensei said you don't have any serious injuries."

"But Freedom's…gone…." Kira lowered his head and looked on the verge of tears. Cagalli blinked as it sank in. Even why he had the basically junked heap fixed in the first place. It was Lacus's gift to him, something he'd always treasured and loved. "Once I've lost that, I…."

"Hey, what are you all down about, Kira? That doesn't really matter right now." Cagalli's morale boosting needed work, to the silent agreement of Milly and also Neo, who was listening in from the other bed while eating his meal.

"Unh. That's true. Did we lose anyone? I saw the Archangel…."

"One… we lost one…." Miriallia played with the focus of her camera without realizing. "It was… Adam."

"Oh…." Kira turned away. "I see."

"But he bought us the time we needed to get away. And he did it without the cost of any lives on the side of ZAFT pilots."

"Also, Kira." Cagalli turned his head towards her. "We're thinking he saved you. The separation from chest and torso was a perfectly clean saber cut, and there was also a footprint on the chest cavity that matches a Murasame. Our theory is that he cut you loose and kicked you into the ocean when the backlash wave hit."

"That so?" Kira sighed dejectedly.

"So Impulse took you down, eh?" Neo interrupted. Everyone turned to him in surprise. He answered with a jocular smile. "Well that's what you get! Heh!" A third woman entered the room while he was talking into his food. "He's definitely an aggressive and dedicated individual. Impulse's pilot, I mean. He's always improving his skills." He took a bite out of some unknown meat.

"Have you ever met him?" Kira ventured a guess.

"Ah." Neo returned with a full mouth. After reminiscing about him returning Stellar, he swallowed. "Just once though." Kira just stared silently. "But what the heck is this ship thinking?" Another sporkful of food. "You fought us the other day, and now ZAFT winds up being…" Murrue walked up and he instantly paused, the atmosphere between them still very odd. "…your enemy…." He let the question drop as he looked away.

"Quite right." She smiled. Ramius pulled up a chair and sat next to Kira, joining his little temporary harem. "Are you feeling better, Kira-kun?"

"Uh, hai. Now I am."

"I'm relieved to hear that. Even though Archangel has been banged up rather well too, we're taking a route that will avoid enemy contact, so we'll get back to ORB. I'm sure of it."

"Hai."

The silence just lingered, and eyes started to shift towards Neo again. Not wanting to go down that road again so soon, Cagalli grabbed Kira's meal plate and spork and held it up to his face. "Hey, come on! Eat up, too!" Kira just stuttered in surprise at the action.

"So you really are an ORB ship? I wasn't positive because of that mute boy you had guarding me before." Another of Neo's interruptions took him off guard.

The captain turned towards him. "I wonder about that part."

"So, just what am I supposed to do, sit here and look pretty?" No one laughed at the joke. Neo looked away and stuffed his mouth with another piece of mystery meat. "Mwu La Flaga. What's his significance… to you?" He shot a glance back at the captain.

All the others feared she would go back into sobs again. Instead she just lowered her shoulders. "A comrade. One I could never replace. But he doesn't exist anymore, not in this realm, anyway." Neo turned away at that comment. The room was now completely downcast.

The doorbell to Meyrin's room rang once. The girl ignored it as she sprawled out on her bed. On the second ring she covered her head with a pillow, and still didn't let out a peep. On the third ring she got up. "Whatever you're selling, I don't want it!"

"Not even boy scout cookies?" A male voice on the other end answered.

"Athrun-san?" She slid open the door. "What are you doing here?" She stepped aside to let him in.

"Well, word travels fast on a small ship…."

"If you think you're going to talk me out of it, you can do an about face right now while the door is still open."

"No, no, you misunderstand me. It's just that no one seems to be taking into account how you feel, and I just came to offer my support… and some cookies." Athrun pulled a box of cookies from behind his back.

"You weren't lying when you said you had cookies. Please come in."

Athrun stepped in fully and grabbed a chair. "Go ahead and try them. I'm afraid I'm not really good at making food, so I borrowed your sister's recipe. I hope you don't mind."

Meyrin paused before her teeth sank into the first one. "This is Lumi's recipe?"

"Um, yeah?"

"No offense, but Onee-chan isn't a four star chef herself."

"Better than borrowing the mess hall's recipe."

"Dare I ask?"

"I stopped reading when I got to 'Two parts lard.'"

"Where was that at?"

"Line two, right after Cookie Dough Recipe."

"In that case, itadekimasu." Meyrin chomped down on the treat and instantly made a face. She forced it down quickly and gasped. "Stick to piloting."

Athrun rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, sorry. Lacus was usually the cook whenever she was around. Aside from that I just eat mess food."

"So Lacus prepared something for you when she was at Diocvia?" Meyrin got up and poured herself a drink to wash the bastardized treat down with.

"Um, yeah. She woke me up with breakfast. I was so surprised I fell completely out of bed."

Meyrin looked at him past the glass as she drank. "You can drop the act. I know the Lacus at Diocvia was a fake."

"Eh? What? But…but…."

"I was aboard the Archangel, remember? Can't stay on that ship for too long without having a few things turned upside down for you, I'll tell you that." She placed her glass down and flopped back onto her bed. "What I can't understand is why you aren't more like me right now."

"Huh? More like you? What are you talking about, Meyrin?"

"I lost the man I love in a battle that shouldn't have taken place, and ZAFT was the cause. What ZAFT did disgusts me, and so, I'm leaving. You had a ship full of your friends blow up right in front of you, and your best friend taken out by your own wingman while you were grounded. Not only that but you know about the deception that fake Lacus is pulling. Yet you still stay on. Why? I would have quit ten times over by now in your shoes."

"Heh? My shoes? You don't want to compare me to you, trust me. Its far more complicated than you think. I chose to come back so I could find the right path to go to, and I thought the Chairman, even though he is pulling the Lacus stunt, was the one to follow. But with this, I'm not really sure any more."

"Then why don't you get out?"

"Because I'm stuck. I have to see this through. I have to stay with my choice to the very end."

"But Athrun-san… you're miserable."

"Huh?"

"The past few times I've seen you in the halls and things, you've been far from happy. Your place isn't here anymore, is it? You've got no machine to fight in, and the Logos hunt going on, you've been just in the background watching. Isn't it time to search for a new path?"

"No. You're wrong, Meyrin. This is where I have to be, just like you."

"Oh no. I knew it would come to this."

"Meyrin, did you know that Burt had to do double duty when you were gone? No one had the heart to put someone else in your chair. A Communications and Intelligence officer on a ship is hard to find, and even harder to replace. They're a rare breed you know. To seamlessly relay orders from the captain to mobile suits and maintenance personnel in a voice that the entire crew knows and trusts, that's a big duty."

"Athrun-san, just…." Meyrin was stopped by a finger to her lips.

"I'm not done yet. We both know that the battles are only going to get harder, and I know that every time the intercom sounds, there is always someone hoping and expecting you to be on the other end. For a crew to get to know and trust someone new will take weeks, maybe even months, and he or she would still never have the same rapport you have with them. Truth is, out of the people in this room, you're the most important." Athrun grabbed the box of cookies and started towards the door. "Sorry I ruined your appetite. I know you're mind is made up, but think about what I've said. It's a pretty big ship, you know. Hundreds of people on a megaton mass of floating metal. That's a lot of friends. I know I'd sure hate to lose them." With that, he let the door close behind him.

In a PLANT hangar, a shuttle was preparing for launch. On their way to it, was an assembly of a few of the council members, Mia, and the Chairman himself. He finished up a few ends while in transit. "Ah, I get it. That will be fine. Just keep answering those types of requests in the same fashion."

"But I really don't think that it's really imperative that the Chairman go to Earth personally during this chaos. Shouldn't you stay and give orders from where it's safe?"

"That's not the point of this trip, Neu. Who in their right minds would follow a flagbearer that hides in the midst of a battle, instead of plunging into the fray?" Mia sighed at the Chairman's words. "Not only that, but Djibril is still at large. But the power of civilians is an amazing thing, isn't it? At some points, it's just plain frightening." At the port terminal, the progression stopped by grabbing onto stop-bars conveniently located in front of them. "We've not done a thing, and so much has been accomplished."

"True. But that's all because of you and the kind words you encouraged them with. If we really can make this world one without war…."

"We can." Dullindal smiled. "If that's everyone's wish, it will be done. If that's all, I think I'll leave the rest to you."

"Hai." The rest saw Mia and Dullindal go into the ship.

Once inside and situated, Dullindal magnetized his laptop to his seat and opened it. The wheels in his mind were turning when he read his classified e-mails. 'Willard's squad report: "The confirmation on the destruction of the Archangel is unobtainable. But Freedom has been downed as a certainty, with a mystery secondary mobile suit missing as well." Is this the checkmate I was hoping for?' He continued to think as the ship blasted off.

Inside an asteroid in a battle's debris field, a pink battleship hid, as its pink-haired commander inspected the hangar, and the large black and purple mobile suits that were housed there.

'No. It's not over just yet. The White Queen is still left on the board. And the Blue Knight's status has yet to be confirmed.' The Chairman finished his musings and turned to his assistant in the next seat over. "Get a hold of Krazek, would you?"

"Sir."

"I want a secondary report on the shuttle hijacking."

"Yes, sir."

"Eh?" Mia whispered to herself. "That wasn't taken care of?"

They finally made it. After leaving Carpentaria so long ago, Minerva was on its final approach to Gibraltar, and the day couldn't be any better. The military port looked almost beautiful as they steered straight ahead. "This is Gibraltar Port Control." They hailed as numerous submarines surfaced in formation with the flagship. "LHMBB-01, Minerva, welcome to our home." Arthur was in awe at all the ships that came in. "In a few moments we will escort your ship to Platform Two. Please confirm the beacon."

It was now Burt's turn. "This is Minerva. We're confirming the guidance beacon now."

"Wow, it's really incredible!" Arthur said out of the blue. "I had heard there was an order for the fleet to gather here, but seeing it like this is really something else!" He looked to the captain for agreement, but she stared back at him emotionlessly.

She just sighed. "'For people to pick up the weapons, they need a cause first.'"

"Eh?"

"I don't remember, but one of the instructors at Command Training said that. Well, it's a rather obvious statement."

"Uh… yes."

"No one can fight unless they fully comprehend who they should attack and why. That's been shown clearly to us."

"Uh…yes."

She stood up and sighed lightly as she spoke. "Think we should be thankful for that? As regular military?"

"Um…hai." It was the only thing he could really say. That is until the doors behind him opened, and admitted a young girl in a green, skirted uniform. "Meyrin?"

The captain turned around quickly, with her mouth open in surprise. Meyrin was back in full uniform. Suddenly she saluted. "Captain Gladys, Meyrin Hawke requesting permission to return to duty, ma'am!"

The older woman's look turned from surprise to relief as a smile caressed her face. "Granted. Welcome home."

"Thank you, Captain." Meyrin put her arm down. The moment she did, she found herself wrapped in a bear hug by Arthur. "I can't breathe! Really, I can't!"

"Uh, oh! Sorry about that!"

"It's ok, XO. I missed you too." Meyrin picked up her earpiece and put it in place. "Sorry Burt, but I'll have to take half of your duties back."

"Don't apologize for something like that!"

She giggled and smiled as she patched through the intercom. "Attention: The ship will soon begin docking sequence in Gibraltar. All personnel, please return to your designated stations. Repeating. The ship will soon begin docking sequence in Gibraltar. All personnel, please return to your designated stations. And on a side note, guess who's back!"

It started as a slow rumble, but soon the sounds reached the bridge, it was the sound of the crew, cheering in celebration. And everyone knew what it was for. Their Meyrin was back in business. Of course, this all was unknown to the high priority shuttle that was landing, escorted by no less than 4 Babi suits.

Luna rubbed her chin as she tried to choose a drink from the vending machine as Shinn stirred his coffee can as he sat down, next to where Ray stood. Shinn looked up. "What do you think we'll be doing after we get to Gibraltar?"

"No clue." Ray answered as Luna finally made her choice. "But it's most probable that the Chairman's message last week will have something to do with it."

"Hmm."

"'Take down the Logos…'" Luna quoted. "Even the Chairman said it was going to be a rough trip."

"But it must have been necessary. After looking back at all the tragedy…." Ray just let the statement hang.

"Unh." Shinn had a hard time letting it out, the images of Stellar still fresh in his mind.

"Shinn, aren't you curious about fighting Logos?"

"Iie. That's not it at all!" He lifted his head quickly. "The Chairman's words really touched me. I know he said it would be hard, but he also said he'd stand by us and not give up. That's because this is the only way to end this war." The boy's hands crushed the can there unknowingly. "If that's the way it is, then even I…I'll fight against whichever enemies I have to!"

"Shinn." Luna sighed softly. Ray put a hand onto the boy's shoulder and smiled softly.

"Docking complete." The navigator confirmed.

Arthur was next on the list of duties once that was completed. "Security teams, as well as maintenance and management officers in unit A, please begin your set duties."

Once this was complete, a transmission reached Meyrin's earpiece. "Captain. HQ is ordering Shinn Asuka and Athrun Zala to report personally."

"Eh?"

"Haro! Haro! Are you okay?" Mia's hyperactive red ball bounced around the platform she and Dullindal stood on. "Yay!" The girl giggled at its antics.

"Well then," The Chairman narrowed his eyes. "Let's find out if the card I hold is trump or not."

Adam opened his eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling, extremely sore. "Man I have got to stop making a habit of waking up in strange places with no less than fifteen bruises on me."

"Haro! Haro! Thank you!" The mechanical monster flapped its arms.

"Pardon me, sir!" An MP saluted from the door. "Shinn Asuka and Athrun Zala have reported as ordered."

"Hmm." Dullindal smiled.

"Hwa!" Mia's mouth went wide with glee.

As Shinn and Athrun took the long walk along the platform to meet the two, they looked into the dark space, seeing two large metallic shadows. Once in the spotlight with them, they both saluted. "It has been a long time, Chairman." Athrun said politely.

Once they both put their hands down, Shinn went along with his greeting. "Your message last week really touched me, sir."

"I'm honored. Thank you." Dullindal said, almost tiredly, as he offered his hand. Shinn took it in earnest. "I've also gotten wind of events surrounding you as well. Though much has happened, you've all made it through."

"Arigato gozaimasu." Shinn quickly returned as Dullindal offered his hand to Athrun.

The blue haired boy just stared at the Chairman, who tilted his head to one side. With a blank face, Athrun finally shook. Taking that as her cue, Mia flung herself atop the eighteen year old. "Athrun!"

"Uh?"

"Have you been well? I so wanted to see you again!"

"Um… It has been a while, Lacus." Even Shinn caught the fishiness of his statement as Athrun said it.

"Now that the formalities are out of the way, I'm sure you're already aware of it, but it looks like I've really gone and done it this time, seeing the situation as it is."

Shinn jumped in quickly. "That's not so, Chairman. You did nothing wrong!"

"Though I have many things I want to talk to you about, why not have a look at these first?" He gestured to the shadows on either side of the platform. "I noticed you were glimpsing at them before, when you came in." The lights came on, and both pilots gasped. The shadows were two brand new mobile suits. No, not just mobile suits, Gundams. Their gray armor a testimony to that fact. "ZGMF-X42S, Destiny. ZGMF-X666S, Legend. They're our newest units, and have abilities that far exceed anything made before. I'll let you two check the catalog specs later, but they'll play a large role in the next few battles."

"Hwa!" Shinn's mouth dropped open wide with joy, marveling in the beauty of the weapon before him.

"Chairman, are you saying that these…" Athrun looked up at him with a cross face.

"They're yours." He said quickly.

Athrun gritted his teeth and stayed silent, but Shinn whipped around instantly with the face of a kid with a new toy. "This is…my unit?"

"Unh." Dullindal nodded.

Shinn turned to bask in its glow once again, as Athrun took a few steps back in denial. He stared at the steady man with a trembling brow, as Mia looked at his face. She was afraid of what she saw.

Chapter 24 Preview: To fight. He showed him how to fight for his dream and gave him power. Now with his power inhibited, what will he do? What is behind the maze of masks that hide the truth? Who will guide him? And what path will he take now that the one he thought was correct is destroyed? Next time on Old Friends Anew: Athrun's Escape. Hide yourself in the stirred up waves, Gouf!


	24. Old Friends Anew Ch 24

Old Friends Anew

Phase-24: Athrun's Escape

Dullindal's statement had both Athrun and Shinn taken aback, but in two different ways. Ways that would soon become apparent to the older man, but until that point, he bragged about the new mobile suits. "Destiny has a firepower, defense, agility, and reliability that are exponentially greater than Impulse, and it is, in my opinion, the strongest mobile suit to date." Shinn admired his new toy with bated breath. "The Legend, on the other hand, has been built around a new version of the DRAGOON system. Its quantum interface can now let anyone control the beam emitters. This is our most ambitious unit." Athrun shot only a sideways glance at the colossal robot. "Our best mechanics at our military factory created both units tirelessly. They have a lot of pride invested in these units. But it's your opinions that I consider the most valuable. Are they to your liking?"

Shinn spoke without hesitation or worry. "Hai! They're amazing."

Athrun just tilted his head away, letting out a painful breath through his nose. His reaction didn't go unnoticed to Mia, who had finally turned off her Haro. Of course, Dullindal saw it as well, but he wasn't finished gloating just yet. He turned towards Shinn. "Destiny's controls and interface have been adjusted to your pilot's data, because we want you to be in the seat."

"Eh? You mean me?" Shinn stiffened as he awaited the nod that Dullindal gave. The younger boy instantly became happier, if such a thing were possible.

"We used the latest combat records from Impulse to tweak the system. Your agility and speed especially…. I must say that you're much faster than a normal pilot."

"Eh?"

"Your strength has become something incredible. As of late, many, many improvements have been made."

"Uh no… that's not it at all…." Shinn tried to stay as humble as possible.

"Impulse's speed had many limits. I'm sure you were often annoyed with its reaction time compared with yours. I guarantee it won't happen with this unit."

"Hai!" The boy stood at attention and bowed deeply. "Arigato gozaimasu!"

"Legend will be yours to command." Dullindal turned towards Athrun. "What do you think, Athrun? DRAGOON system?" Until this point, Athrun was spacing out, not really paying attention to anything, until the question pulled him out of it. "It is my opinion that mastering it will be no problem for you." Athrun let out another breath through his nose as he lowered his brows in irritation. All three noticed instantly. "Is something wrong, Athrun?" The Chairman asked after a few moments of silence.

It was finally Athrun's turn. "These are supposed to assist in the fight against Logos?" As a FAITH officer, his question should have been said in confidence, but he was still nervous. Even so, it took both Mia and Shinn of guard with curiosity. "Fighting against Logos will end the war. You said so yourself."

"Ah. The battle to end a war is a rather oxymoronic situation. But it's something that can't be helped, can it? They won't listen to reason anymore, after all." As the statement continued, Athrun squared his shoulders and tried to keep his anger in check. "That being the case, there is no other way but to fight."

"But then why were they targets?" The blue-haired teen forced the issue.

"Hmm?"

"Archangel and Freedom were to be shot down by the order of the Chairman. Why them?"

"Are you still on that?" Shinn turned to the taller teen in a flash, his mind never resolving their fisticuff incident either. Athrun turned to him for a moment before going back against Dullindal.

"Athrun…." The older man sighed.

"I know that ship worsened the confusion in a bad wartime situation, but they shared the same desire as we do! All they wanted to do was end the war. They didn't want to fight anymore either! Up against Destroy, they even arrived first!" With every sentence, Athrun's voice became more determined, more forceful, and more of an annoyance to his fellow pilot. "And even with that, then why? Why didn't you give them a chance to explain before shooting at them?"

"Athrun!" Dullindal interrupted before the rant could continue. The room became silent. "Then in fairness, I'll ask something of you as well. If what you said is true, then how come they didn't side with us?" It was a question that Athrun wasn't ready for. "If our desires were the same, then there shouldn't have been any conflict in siding with us. I know they heard what I had said. Even with that, why did they not approach us before they chose to fight?" Athrun lowered his head slightly, knowing there was no satisfactory answer. He was trapped. "It wasn't like they didn't have ample opportunity. Captain Gladys even offered for them to surrender during the battle, correct?"

"That wasn't…!" He bit his tongue and turned away in anger, as his gaze landed on Mia, who gasped and took a step back.

Dullindal took notice and motioned for the girl to come closer to him. "Lacus even joined us."

Athrun's breath caught in his throat, knowing what was coming next. He was disgusted that he still used that excuse and ground his teeth. "Gichohou!" He reprimanded the taller man.

"Athrun!" Shinn jumped forward, defending his idol.

Normally Dullindal's status was normally spoken as "Gichou." Using the full three syllables of "Gichohou" and in that tone was something that normally wasn't done, even out of anger. Understanding this fully, Athrun struggled to down his rage by letting out a low hiss.

"I can understand how you feel." Dullindal said with a straight face. "'Why have things turned out this way? Why won't the world move like I want it to?' I know they aggravate you." The Chairman stepped to within a couple of feet from the angry boy. "I'm sorry to say it, but that's just the way the world works at the moment." Both Athrun and Shinn took loud breaths at the unexpected statement. "We have no idea what our identities are in this mixed up world. We are merely feathers drifting wherever the situational wind may take us."

"Gichohou!" Not satisfied with the answer he gave, Athrun forced his way in again.

Dullindal would have none of it as he continued with a straight face. "In the case of the Archangel… iie, of your friend Kira Yamato-kun, it's tough to put this correctly." He walked over to the side rail and leaned forward on it as he spoke. "I suppose his fate was poorly dealt, which is something I pity."

"Poorly dealt?" Athrun repeated in complete disbelief.

"He had all that talent and power, a fighter by nature. If we had trained him in piloting a mobile suit, he would have absolutely no equal in all the world." It was a statement that irked Shinn, the one who took him down. "But that fact was left unnoticed, even by himself. Since he didn't know, he never became a fighter and lived as a puppet of the times. I can't even imagine what he could have been capable of if he could have mastered his own power." He signaled to Mia again, who came to his side obediently. "After Lacus joined us, I don't know what came into his head, he kidnapped ORB's Head of State, and when a battle arose, he came out and shot at both sides." Athrun's anger was boiling inside him, as his knuckles turned white and he let out a low snarl, one that made Mia flinch. "What kind of action is that?"

"But Kira wasn't…!" It came out as almost a growl.

"Wasn't it the princess that he abducted the one that said, 'Something too powerful shall always cause conflict,' correct?"

"Didn't you say, 'No, Princess. Power is necessary because conflict will never disappear'?" Athrun countered instantly.

Dullindal didn't even let it faze him. "Since I am the supreme leader of the ZAFT military, something that strong and unpredictable needed to be put in check. That's the reason behind my order. It couldn't have been avoided even if I wanted to." The FAITH officer raised his shoulders and leaned his head forward as his anger slowly took control again. "He really had a bad hand dealt to him. If he had known about his abilities and the role he could play like the both of you do, living in a place where he could do what he was best at... he could have been given praise and lived happily instead of living a life of worry and suffering." The speech left both of the pilots dazed. "I see you are a bit confused. If you can understand who you are and what you possess to fill your role, only then can you be happy and live your life to the fullest. Am I right?"

"Uh…hai." Shinn stood at attention, trying to let it all sink in.

"Once this war is over, it's my goal to create such a world. If I can create a place where everyone is filled with happiness, then war will never exist again. I know it sound's only like a dream, but I'll make it happen if it kills me." Athrun had long before gone silent, realizing he could not win this battle. "And since we need help for that day, I want you both to give it your all."

"Hai!" Shinn's acknowledgement was filled with enthusiasm. Athrun was staring at that place out in space once again, not wishing to talk anymore. Mia's face matched his as her concern for him took precedence.

Adam opened his eyes and looked around the room he was in from the bed he occupied. It seemed to be a room in a mansion, or at least an upper middle class home. The decorations were bland, almost like they purposefully got the tacky stuff because it was on sale and they wanted to save a zenny. There was a wooden door, or at least the façade of one. There were no hinges, so he assumed it mechanically slid open and closed. There was a bookcase, halfway filled with books of various titles that he couldn't see from his angle, and a thick leather arm-chair that faced the door. "Yep, I am definitely starting to see a trend here with waking up in strange places." He muttered to himself. The orange haired boy tried to sit up, but for some reason, he couldn't. "Huh?" He tugged his arms up again, and twitched his legs. That's when he finally realized he was bound to the bed by cuffs on his wrists and ankles. "What the hell?" He struggled a bit, only succeeding in making himself more uncomfortable. "Hey, anyone out there? Someone mind giving me a hand?"

"My you sure are the noisy one." The female voice from before came from the chair.

"Eh? Who's there?"

"You're in my possession. You do not need to know my name, at least not yet."

"Am I your prisoner? If so, then what am I being held on?"

The girl laughed sadly. "What you are in this place is up to you."

"Oh, just what is that supposed to mean? I'm not good at riddles first thing in the morning."

"I myself am nothing. I don't exist, and yet I do. But I'm not a ghost or an apparition. And I'm certainly no angel. I just… exist. You choose your own path here." Her voice was completely downcast, stunning Adam. Without another word, she stood up and walked out the door. He didn't even get to see her face, but caught a glimpse of her long and flowing red hair.

"'You choose your own path here.'" He attempted to mimic her, but wound up coughing in the process. "It would easier if I could actually WALK! A little help would be nice! Hey! Is anyone even listening out there? Hey!" He struggled against the bindings once again.

On a sunny day in Gibraltar, a carrier jet landed on a pad. The military announcements were coming over the intercom a mile a minute. "Division R Armory Unit, we're transferring you to the 3rd Paddock."

As the new blue Gouf units were unloaded, another came. "Robespierre and Geno Teams, hurry and get to the third deck."

"Heat signature registration is commencing in Aprons 8 through 14. Please stay clear of those areas. IFF is also setting up in C Hangar."

A rare and ominous sight of EAF battleships and vessels of all sizes was coming up to the port. Immediately there was an announcement. "Attention. Attention. This is Port Control. The EAF naval vessels you see before you, in formation with object 729, are designated as friendly. They've deserted from the East Asian Republic." It was definitely an unexpected sight to see. "Status: Blue. I shall repeat for those that weren't paying attention or have itchy trigger fingers."

What was more of an unexpected sight was that of a tan skinned man in an EAF uniform. But this was no ordinary man. His facial features were unmistakable. It was Kisaka-san, Cagalli's old body guard during the Desert Dawn resistance. Why was he wearing an EAF uniform? Was he on a mission once again?

Of course, only those that knew him would recognize him. Thus Talia, Arthur, and the navi, Malik, saw nothing special from the bridge as the Minerva sat in dry dock, getting repairs done. "It's really an unexpected sight!" Arthur spoke up as he watched the ships dock, also taking the author's comment in the process. "I had no clue all these Alliance ships would gather here."

"True." Talia sighed as she sipped her drink. "But it kind of makes you really anxious."

"Also true." Malik added himself to the conversation. "It's as if they've been burned into our minds as enemies."

Arthur took a long drink of his double caffeinated coffee before it could walk off. "Yeah, no kidding. With all these Alliance ships here, it would be the end of Gibraltar if they all attacked at once." He let out an audible laugh. Talia and Malik turned to him with annoyed looks. When no one laughed, he stopped. "Eh? Auda?"

"Mou! Why do you have to say so many stupid things, Arthur?" Gladys reprimanded him instantly. "Everyone's already nervous about when the operation will start! So don't go and making things worse by saying stuff that isn't the case at all!"

"S…s…sumimasen!" Arthur bowed low, his coffee leaping from the cup and escaping.

"But if we go after the Logos members that ran into Heaven's Base, will this be enough to take that fortress? Even if Heaven's Base falls, the real problems will begin. Will Logos really be destroyed with this?" Talia mused.

Adam took a deep breath. "GET ME OUT OF THESE THINGS!"

"Minerva's Ray Za Burrel reporting as ordered sir." Ray saluted the Chairman.

"Ray!" Dullindal stood up from his couch and went to meet him. "You look well. How have you been feeling? Is everything okay?"

"Hai." Ray said with a smile.

"Please come inside." Dullindal motioned to him. He spoke as they went to separate chairs. "I heard about your condition in the Lodonia Laboratory. I was careless with that one."

"No, sir. You caused none of that. I've fully recovered. I was surprised, honestly. I didn't think I would have such a severe attack."

At the same time, Mia was uneasy, and felt the need to go and talk to Dullindal. When she was about to round the corner, she heard him speak. "How about something to drink?" She quickly retreated to behind the wall. "I'd like to hear your full report once again."

"Hai!" Ray graciously accepted.

Mia was apparently in the right place at the right time, because she noticed a photograph on the carpet in front of her. She knelt down to pick it up and looked at it closely. She gasped at what she saw. The picture captivated her for a long time, as the information she held in her hand tried to sink in. By the time she snapped out of it, Dullindal was on his second cup of tea, speaking to Ray. Mia felt paralyzed, and didn't want to move from her spot behind the wall, so she just listened. "I think I understand. I had a feeling that Athrun wouldn't be of much use."

The blonde boy answered him without making eye contact. "His link towards Archangel and Freedom is far greater than anticipated."

Dullindal sighed as he leaned against a table, one with many pictures on it. "He was also a grand fighter, but he thinks too much. Whenever he does that, his incredible power diminishes. Do you think that's because of Kira Yamato? Was it another bad hand of fate when Athrun met him?"

"It's most likely true."

"But that boy no longer exists. Since that's the case…."

"Iie." Ray interrupted. "He's alive."

"Hmm?"

"Athrun will always keep him alive in his heart unless he himself kills him."

"Heh. Well that's definitely a problem." He turned towards the contents of the table, photographs of Athrun's meeting with Kira, Cagalli, and Miriallia. "We've got all the evidence we need now. Think you can bring him in?"

"Hai."

Mia could stand no more, and she walked out as quietly as possible, the photo in hand.

Adam slammed his head back into his pillow. "Man this sucks. Here I am, stuck in a place that I have no idea where I am, strapped to a bed by handcuffs, and I'm being told by some strange girl I'm not a prisoner." He rolled his eyes at that one. "At least they're not fuzzy pink handcuffs. That would be rather perverted. But…funny. Oh great, now I've got a prank idea brewing. I'll have to tell Meyrin this one the moment I get back." Saying her name made him pause. "Meyrin…. I don't even know if she's okay or not. After I saw her leave the ship, I was completely out of the loop." The boy with orange hair struggled against his bonds again. "I've got to get out of here. I need to make sure she's all right. Damn it!"

The darkness of the night had rolled in around Gibraltar, and with it came a heavy rain. As the drops of water came down with great haste, periodically there was a strong flash of lightning and thunder, almost giving away the storm's plan to stay put. Athrun's mood was reflected by the intense storm outside, as he let the lightning illuminate the room as he leaned against the wall. With every flash, it seemed a memory resurfaced at random. _"Really? Is that so?" Kira retorted. "Does PLANT really think that way?" Kira continued. "That Chairman Dullindal Guy, does he really want a peaceful world and to end the war?"_

"_Then what about that other Lacus Clyne? Just who is it that's in PLANT singing? I know it's not my Lacus."_

"_Shouldn't we be able to live without the endless waltz of war? Compromise and communication. Those are what we will use to break from this world molded by their bloodied hands, once and for all." Dullindal's speech rang true._

"_When you really look, it's not just against ORB." The Freedom's pilot turned to Adam. "The ones lost in battle won't come back."_

"_If what you said is true, then how come they didn't side with us?" It was a question that Athrun wasn't ready for._

"_I don't want to fight. I don't want to be made to fight." Kira looked on the verge of tears._

"Kira…." Athrun whispered to himself as a knock on the door disturbed his thoughts.

"Athrun? Athrun!" A female voice from the other side of the door called to him. The door opened, and a hand encased with a white glove hit the light switch. Athrun's eyes quickly adjusted to reveal Mia, who quickly shut and locked the door. "I had a feeling you'd be here! You shouldn't be so hesitant!"

"Eh?" He let out a breath as she ran up to him.

"You never gave the Chairman an answer in the hangar when you were offered the Legend. Keep this up and he'll get suspicious of you!"

"Huh?"

"That Shinn boy is already working on his unit!" The bubblegum haired fake grabbed his wrist and started tugging him towards the door. "Come on, you've got to get down…."

The FAITH officer ripped his hand away from her. "What are you talking about? The Chairman getting suspicious? Of what?"

"Of that you might not be of use to him!" She waved her hands in front of him in a panic.

"Wha?"

She pulled out the picture she had held before. Where she kept it in that outfit is anyone's guess. "Here. See what I mean?" Athrun took the photograph and went completely rigid. It was the first photo Luna took of him, Cagalli, Kira, and Miriallia, when he met them in those ruins. "The Chairman had a meeting with that Ray boy, and then they started talking about you!" She began to recollect the conversation she overheard to him.

The orange haired Coordinator lay motionless on the bed, given up on his struggling. The door to his room slid open, and the sound of soft heels walked over to the chair and sat down. A thin, female hand picked up a book on the stand next to it. Adam opened an eye. He was about to say something, but he was interrupted. "Nice fake, but I can tell you're not asleep." The same voice spoke that he heard after he woke up. She turned the page.

"Well thanks, I think. If you were trying to come in unnoticed, you may as well give it up. To my ears, you're noisier than a sumo wrestler on bubblewrap."

"Coordinator!" She hissed menacingly as she accidentally tore a page out of the book she was reading. She coughed for a moment and cleared her throat. "I apologize for that. I used to have a strong aversion to your kind. I'm still not completely over it."

"Apparently not, or else I wouldn't be bound to this bed and tortured."

"No one has tortured you. I made sure of it."

"Heh! You saw that tray of food when you came in?" Adam motioned with his head to the cart by his bed. "That was supposed to be my lunch, but they wouldn't even unfasten one arm so I could eat. And I LOVE lunch. Denying me lunch is a total torture, especially when it's right in front of me!"

"Looks like I'll have to have a talk with the servers on that one." She giggled slightly, but never seemed to get rid of that sad, painful tone in her voice.

"Look. All I want to do is make sure that Meyrin is all right, and get word to her that I'm more or less alive."

"Meyrin?"

"Meyrin Hawke, the girl I love, and also work with."

She closed the book and put it back on the stand. "I see." She stood. "Well, I have some resources. I'll see if I can bring you any information about her."

"I suppose I should say thank you, but it's kind of hard to in my present situation."

"I suppose so." She went to the door without facing him.

"Hey wait! Can't I at least put a name or face to the person that's doing me the favor?"

Her hands went down to her sides and she sighed. Quickly she turned around, and Adam's breath caught in his throat. The girl was quite the beauty, her long red hair brushing her back from the turn, not a single strand out of place, and not a blemish on her face aside from some dark circles under her eyes. Her eyes captivated him the most, not because of their aesthetic value, but from the intense pain she showed in them. She wore a sad smile on her face as she spoke again. "As I said, you don't need to know my name as of yet. But now you have the face." With that she turned around and exited.

After the door closed, Adam finally let out his breath and started panting. "What was that? Her eyes…. It was like she was pushed to the edge of insanity, and recovered from it, only to be torn to shreds!" The boy shuddered.

"Don't you see? It's dangerous for you to go against him!" Mia finished off her story.

"Kgh!" Athrun crushed the photo in his fists.

Mia cupped her hands over his fists tenderly. "You have to show him that Ray was wrong really soon, or else the Chairman might…."

A knock on the door startled both of them. "Minerva's Special Unit personnel, Athrun Zala. We're from HQ. We have a serious matter to talk to you about."

Mia held onto Athrun's shoulder as she stared at the door in fear. Athrun twitched. "That's just like the Chairman, being so shrewd."

"Eh?" She whispered.

"He knows me like the back of his hand."

The knock came again. "Athrun Zala! We know you're there! Please open this door!"

The boy's eyes narrowed. "He knows I won't just be a puppet that will fight for only him." He walked over to his desk chair. "Even if his words are given the tone of righteousness!" Athrun hurled the chair at the window, shattering the glass. Mia screamed.

The MPs outside slammed against the door, until one decided to shoot out the lock. All three rushed in, weapons at the ready, only to see a freaking Lacus in the corner. The MPs rushed to the window. "Honestly, why do they resist?" All three piled out into the rainy fire escape. "Find him quickly!" As the last one came out, the blue hair in the red coat jumped down and slammed one MP in the back of the neck, taking him out instantly.

Mia shuddered in panic as she heard the hits, one after another, as all three MPs were knocked out. Athrun had an automatic rifle in his hand as he stepped back onto the windowsill. He stuffed a pistol into the back of his pants and then held out his hand towards the girl. "Come on!"

"Unh!" She said as he lifted her out the window. As the went down the metallic fire escape with loud footsteps, they could only hope that the rain that was also pouring down on their heads would dampen the sound. She stopped on one of the lower steps and stopped his progress, as he was still gripping her wrist. "Athrun!"

"Eh?" He turned towards her quickly.

"Athrun, why are you doing this?"

"The Chairman can't stand people that are of no use in the roles he has for them!"

"Eh?"

"A Lacus that the populous will listen to… and me, a mobile suit pilot that will fight for him! But even you can't keep this up forever!" Mia gasped at his words, sucking in a raindrop as well. "When it happens, he'll kill you too! So please, come with me!"

"EH?" She squeaked. He continued to tug her down the stairs, but her rain-slick glove slipped out of his hand as she pulled away and slammed her back against the building.

"I… I'm Lacus!"

"Mia!"

"That's wrong!" She whipped her hand away. "I AM Lacus! I keep telling you! That's who I want to be! Lacus is who I've become!"

"But you…." Athrun whispered to himself.

"I don't care if I'm just a roleplay! What's wrong with it? As long as we do it right, it's okay! There's nothing wrong with living like that!" Her raving tears streamed down her face, near indistinguishable from the rain. "That's why you should too, ne Athrun? It's going to be fine." She reached her hand out to him. "We can be together like that, can't we?"

Security started pounding on the stairs, and Athrun realized he hadn't much time left. "Mia!" He thrust out his hand towards her. She pulled back, still hating the name. "Please! I don't want to see any more friends of mine die if I can help it! Come with me! Please!" She just looked into his eyes, completely motionless. "Tch!" Athrun retracted his arm and ran down the stairs, realizing there was no way of convincing her. As he went out of sight, she sat down on the stairs and hugged her knees, breaking into torturous tears as the rain soaked her.

Inside the lobby, Meyrin and one of the nurses were talking when they overheard three MPs talking on a lower level. Instinctively, Meyrin leaned in to listen. "All the doors are being covered, right? Then we'll start a systematic search through all the rooms. Start from the top floor and work your way down. We'll force him out."

"Sir!"

"If we have our way, we shall only detain him. But if it comes to it, we're authorized to shoot to kill." They went into the elevator as the two women shared a look.

Within a few minutes, Meyrin was back in her room. She instantly sat down at the computer terminal there. "Just what the hell is going on? What happened out there?" The door she forgot to lock opened, and into her room came a rain-soaked Zala with an automatic weapon on his arm. He locked the door before he saw her, not realizing the room was occupied when he entered. The girl gasped and shot out of her seat. "Athrun-s…."

He quickly clamped his hand over her mouth, taking her by surprise. "Sorry." He whispered to her. "I have no intention of hurting you. All I want to do is leave! Please. I'm counting on you to stay quiet!"

Her mind registered now what the MPs were doing, and her eyes turned towards the door, making sure it was locked. She nodded, and he removed his hand. After taking a breath, she whispered to him. "They're after you? But why? I don't get it."

The emerald eyed Coordinator pressed his back against the curtains as he looked out the window. "Ask Ray about that one after this is over."

"Wha?"

Three knocks were placed on her door, making them both turn around in fear. "It's HQ! We're performing a mandatory room inspection. I must ask you to open the door."

"Once I'm gone, scream." Athrun told her. "Tell them I threatened you with my weapon."

"Eh? But…." She looked back and forth from him to the door. Her pigtails swayed as she shot out and grabbed his free wrist. "Come on!" She whispered as she dragged him to the bathroom.

"Oi! Is there even anyone in there?" The MP rapped on the door.

"Um, hai! One moment, please!" Meyrin called out. She turned on the water in the shower quickly after stuffing Athrun into the corner.

"Don't be an idiot!" Athrun whispered harshly. "This is useless!"

"Don't worry!" She shot back. Her next movements completely shocked the older teen, as she rapidly undressed to her underwear. After ripping out her hairbands, she soaked her hair with the showerhead and grabbed the nearest beach towel. As she put it on, she looked back at her friend, who now understood the tactic.

Lunamaria heard the commotion near her sister's room and went out to see the MPs there. As she approached, one MP decided to bash the door in. As he completed his motion, the door unlocked and opened up. "Gwaahh!" The man stepped back in surprise, as everyone saw only a towel-clothed girl with soaked hair, trying to look completely confused and innocent. The military men blinked in shock, but none turned away. In fact, one of them got a nosebleed.

"What the hell, Meyrin?" Luna pushed her way through the security officers. "Geez, why are you dressed that way?"

"O…Onee-chan! I was in the shower and then these guys kept going 'don don' on the door!" (AN: 'don don' is a normal descriptive Japanese sound effect for pounding on something. That is opposed to the 'doki doki' of the pounding of the heart.)

Luna shot a look that could kill an elephant at the MP with the nosebleed, and he recoiled backwards like there was no tomorrow. She relaxed and turned back to her little sister. "Whatever the reason, put some clothes on for goodness sake! You look totally indecent, Mirei!" She turned to another officer. "What the hell is this all about in the first place? All this commotion is cutting into my beauty sleep!"

"Uh… um… nothing, really." One of them stuttered an answer.

The door shut, and Athrun let out a heavy sigh, as he put the gun back into safety. Meyrin was still standing at the door in shock. She didn't stay that way for long, as her legs gave out and she went to the floor, holding her chest and sobbing. Athrun emerged from the bathroom with a bathrobe, and draped it over her. He gripped her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "Arigato. But why'd you do it?"

Her breath was short as she continued to cry. "I don't know." She whispered. "After Adam…. I thought that work could cheer me up…. And that…. That… I might be able to forget. But it failed. I can't… deal… deal with…." Her voice trailed off.

"Well, you did save me after all. I'm sorry I troubled you." Athrun picked up his gun and turned to the window. After two steps, Meyrin's hand gripped his ankle firmly. "Woah! Uh?"

"Maybe if… maybe if…. The… the hangar!" She shook out of her tears. "That's it! Hang on a sec!" She finished putting on her robe and sat down at her terminal. "I can hack in to the base's host server and try to get an alarm to go off."

"You can do that?"

"I'm not the intelligence officer for nothing. They'll be able to track it once they realize it's fake, but we'll be long gone."

"We?"

"Okay, here we go." She pressed return.

Soon the base was in an entire uproar of alarms. Meyrin raced to her drawers and threw on a new uniform, not caring about her hair braids anymore. The MPs received the location of the alarm. "Kuso! He made it to the port? When did he escape?" Ray followed them, armed with his own weapon.

With the guards no longer at the exits, Meyrin and Athrun came out through the kitchen, which was closed for the night. "I'll drive you in my car. Jump in when I signal."

"U…unh!" Athrun nodded, still stunned that this shy girl would do something like this.

"Nani? What's this about?" Talia rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she came onto the bridge.

In Dullindal's private office, he opened up a channel to Minerva. "Talia."

"Hai."

"I'm sorry I don't have all the details, but Athrun seems to have taken out some of our security and is making his escape."

"EH?"

"I don't think Minerva will be his destination, but I'm informing you just to make sure. I may have to ask for Ray and Shinn's help if the situation gets bad."

"Wait. What do you mean 'making his escape?'"

"Like I said, I don't know what's going on! I'll send more information along later!"

Meyrin beeped her horn twice, and Athrun dove into the passenger's seat. She hit the throttle, skidding on the slick asphalt. "You drive worse than Lacus!" Athrun cringed as she started to fishtail.

"Real or fake?"

"Real! If it hadn't been for Pink-chan, we'd both be dead!"

"Who? Nevermind, get down!"

Athrun hit the deck as she turned passed two security vehicles as she squeaked the tires. Unbenounced to Meyrin, Ray was in the truck she passed, and he recognized her instantly, even with her hair flowing down her back. "Hmm."

"Hey, what's up with that alarm?" Shinn asked an MP.

"No clue, but it looks like there was a spy on base."

"Hwa?"

"Everything's completely chaotic with the Alliance being here. Honestly…."

The car hit the breaks and stopped in front of a brand new blue ZGMF X-2000 Gouf model. "Most of the security is searching the port. You should be safe. Hurry and go!" Meyrin said over the pounding rain as they approached the boarding platform.

"But if you…."

"If you're going to die here, then you should escape."

"But you'll be charged with treason!"

"Athrun-san, my heart is already dead. After I lost Adam, nothing was ever the same. If I can just save you, who still has a chance to escape turmoil, then I'll die fulfilled. I'll see him up there anyway, so…."

Footsteps started running from the side of the hangar. Ray came around the corner and leveled his weapon at them. Athrun grabbed Meyrin and dove off to the side, behind the maintenance computers, Ray's first rounds coming to within centimeters of them. "Kgh!" Athrun winced as he landed on his back, with the girl landing on top of him.

Ray stopped firing. "So you're running away from who you are? Again?"

"Ray!" He snarled, sitting up.

"What you've done is unforgivable! You betrayed Gil!" He resumed firing, trying to break down the computers and getting a shot through them.

Meyrin screamed as Athrun shielded her from the sparks and shrapnel. "Enough of this, Ray! You'll hit Meyrin!" He wouldn't let up, so Athrun stuck his gun between the terminal screens and fired at him. Ray jumped out of the way, back behind the hangar door. "Kuso!"

Meyrin got a look at the pistol in the back of Athrun's pants in the brief interlude of calm. Ray began to fire again once Athrun let up. Within an instant, Meyrin pulled out the pistol, just before Athrun rolled out of the way, returning fire at the blonde. The gun was shot out of his hands and skidded to the street behind him. "Ugh!" Ray rubbed his hand for a moment before turning to retrieve his lost weapon.

A bullet penetrating the ground right in front of him impeded his path. "Ray!" He turned around, to see Meyrin with the pistol pointed over the computers, directly at him. "I've killed one person with a gun already. Don't make me make you the second!"

He turned fully towards her and laughed. "Well, well. Meyrin Hawke, I'm surprised at you! I must admit, this is the last thing I expected from you!"

"Ray!" Athrun snarled at him, but didn't pull the trigger.

"You do realize that the punishment for something like this is death by firing squad, right? What is going through that pretty little head of yours? My goodness, what would Lunamaria say?"

"Shut up! Leave Lumi out of this!" Meyrin narrowed her eyes.

"You do realize that she'll have to be interrogated for your actions. She might even be found guilty. Imagine, you and your sister, both up against the wall. Ready. Aim. Fire!" Meyrin went rigid.

"Ray! That's enough! We don't want to hurt you!" Athrun yelled.

"You can save her, Meyrin. You can save your dear Onee-chan. You can even save yourself. Meyrin Hawke, stop that traitor! Kill him at once!" He pointed towards Athrun.

"Ray, stop it! Quit playing games with her head!" Athrun stepped forward a space.

"Athrun-san." Meyrin shivered. She turned to him with tearful eyes.

As the blue-haired boy made eye contact with her, Ray moved towards his weapon very slowly, so as not to be noticed. "Lumi is waiting for you back at the barracks, Meyrin. Don't you want to see her again?"

Meyrin pointed her now unsteady, gun toting hand at the FAITH officer. "Athrun-san."

Athrun took a step back. "Meyrin… no…."

"That's it, Meyrin." Ray took another step back. "End his life so you can save yours and your sister's! Pull the trigger!" He hissed at her. "Do it!" He broke into a run for his gun.

Meyrin whipped around and targeted the weapon and fired three rounds into it, one skimming across Ray's arm, ripping his uniform and drawing a little blood. The bullets sent the gun skidding further away from him. Meyrin looked at Athrun. "I could never kill you."

Athrun held out a hand to her, and she took it quickly. They hopped onto the boarding platform just as Ray retrieved his lost gun. As they were raised to the cockpit level, Ray came back and leveled his weapon at them. He pulled the trigger and nothing happened. Ray reloaded and tried again. Still nothing. Meyrin's bullets had effectively disabled the weapon. Athrun closed the cockpit behind them and started up the mobile suit. "Shit!" Ray swore as he tossed the rifle away, running out of the hangar as fast as he could.

Athrun ran through the startup checks at record speed. "Sorry Meyrin, but I'm not willing to let you die because of me!" She nodded quickly. The Gouf's eye flashed to life as the docking clamps were released. It walked out of the hangar and spread its flight pack, taking to the skies.

Ray was running at top speed as he talked into a mobile phone that looked like it was from the 1980's. "Shinn! Get Destiny and Legend prepped for launch!"

"Wha? How come?" Shinn answered the other line at the Gundam hangar.

"The offenders have commandeered a mobile suit and are escaping from the air! We're pursuing!"

"Huh?"

A radar alarm went off in the base, getting the attention of Luna, Talia, and Dullindal. Mia pressed her hands against the glass of her window as she looked into the sky, tears still stinging her eyes as the thunder and lightning started anew. The Gouf flew over the deep churning seas. "B…but where are we going to go?" Meyrin asked timidly.

"We'll find the Archangel!" Athrun turned to her quickly.

"Eh? But that ship's been shot down!"

"No. It didn't sink."

"But that means…."

"I'm sure Adam is fine. And also Kira is probably doing okay too."

The elevator platform for the Destiny and Legend began to rise. Before it reached its full height, Ray jumped down onto it and raced to the winch of Legend. He stepped in it and was lifted to the cockpit quickly. He slammed back in the seat as the controls went down in front of him. He clicked on the communications screen. "Gichou." He said as he received the transmission.

"Ah, I understand." Dullindal acknowledged knowingly. "It's up to you, Ray."

Shinn pressed the main power button on his controls. "Ray!" He watched as the OS booted up. Gunnery United Nuclear Deuterion Advanced Manevering system.

"Are you ready, Shinn?"

"Ah! But why are we the ones to go after the spy?"

"I wouldn't be careless if I were you. The target is Athrun Zala!"

"Huh? Athrun? No way…. But why?" Shinn was completely in shock as the blue Gouf flew through the treacherous, lightning filled skies, rain pounding on the armor. Two passengers, both fleeing for their lives, flying towards uncertainty.

Chapter 25 Preview: But it's Athrun that's the target. There is no explanation, but he is the target. But what about all that has happened so far to them together? Has everything he once understood been shattered? As three powerful forces clash in the face of raging nature, only two will return, as Shinn makes his choice. But what will the consequences be? Next time on Old Friends Anew: Darkness and Light / That Which Blinds More. Cast your color over the battlefield, Legend!

Author's Note: Okay, I'll give everyone one opportunity to guess who that mystery girl is. It doesn't mean I'll tell you, but I'll give you the chance to guess. Let's see who you think it is. I think I've left enough clues.


	25. Old Friends Anew Ch 25

Old Friends Anew

Phase-25: Darkness and Light / That Which Blinds More

"This is an A-55 Alert. Repeating. This is an A-55 Alert." An announcement called out over the sound of the heavy rain in the night. "42 and 666, stand by for launch."

Ray started booting up his system. Generation Unsubdued Nuclear Drive Assault Module. Legend's green eyes flashed to life as the gray and red color scheme of its phase shift armor coated its body. The docking clamps released, and it began to walk out into the wetness. Shinn on the other hand was in too much shock to budge. "Athrun…." His mind went through all his encounters with the legendary pilot at a blinding speed. "Why is this happening? Ray!" Destiny's eyes awoke as the docking clamps were detached.

"I wish I knew his reasons. But the facts are that he was being chased by security, and he attacked them in order to escape."

"Huh?" Shinn gasped, still not grasping the concept.

"Let's go. Or else he'll escape for sure!" Legend's thrusters warmed up and propelled the mobile suit into the blackness of the sky.

Shinn's mind continued to struggle with the problem. But in the end, he became resolute with a "Keh!" and jammed the throttle to maximum. In midair, the blue and red color scheme of his mobile suit painted the gray armor. It spread its wings of plasma energy and went after Ray with an alarming speed.

In the stormy seas, all ZAFT and EAF battleships were alerted to the presence of the escapees with an alarm. One of the people on a smaller EAF boat was Kisaka-san, and he saw the blue Gouf make a large water trail as it hugged the waves. Legend and Destiny flew overhead in hot pursuit, making the ship rock. He snarled and quickly went to do something.

"A spy has escaped?" Back in the barracks, not a single person slept anymore. "Whoever it was must've been Logos' flunky. Possibly from the new troops?"

As MPs went past them, Vino and Luna looked on with pure worry. "Vino, I think we should go back to the ship. What do you think?"

"Eh? Unh." He nodded, his confusion giving him decisiveness problems.

Dullindal entered a stylish meeting room, which was rushed into an emergency command center. He sat down at the head desk as he heard the others speaking. "He stole a Gouf?"

"Please tell me we've got someone after him!"

"Sir! Elgar squad is prepping for launch!"

Dullindal raised his hand. "There's no need for that. I've put Shinn and Ray on that problem." Among the commotion, no one noticed the door to a side room slide open a crack as Mia peeked inside, her trembling gasps soon manifested themselves as tears once again. "Right now it's more important that this doesn't cause a ruckus by news spreading. If rumors get out, there will be multiple problems with the military units we've gathered. That's something we can't allow to happen at this time."

"Uh, hai." The operations commander stood at attention.

"Commander!" An intelligence officer saluted as he stepped into the room. "We've been able to trace the terminal that got into the host server, but there's a problem. Meyrin Hawke's room, one of the Minerva crew, contained the terminal that hacked the system."

"The Minerva?" Dullindal was shocked as the rest of the people in the room started chattering. "Where is she now?"

"Um, you see…."

As Luna was trying to gather the whole crew that was at the barracks, Gladys walked in with a scowl on her face that would push anyone back that got in her way. Luna noticed her instantly. "Captain!" But she was completely ignored.

A clap of thunder almost obscured Athrun's proximity alarm. Almost. All four gasped as an open channel was broadcast, intended for Ray and Shinn, but intentionally left open for Athrun and Meyrin to hear. "Ray." The Chairman popped up on his screen.

"Hai."

"When pursuing Athrun, did you encounter Meyrin Hawke at all?" Shinn's head shot up to the communication windows above him.

Ray answered without reservation. "Meyrin Hawke is currently inside the same suit as Athrun."

"Eh?" Shinn flinched in shock.

"Athrun?" Dullindal raised an eyebrow as Talia entered the room. "Are you saying she's a hostage?" At those words the woman completely forgot about saluting and gasped.

"Iie, not in the least. He shielded Meyrin, and shot the gun out of my hands. When I went to retrieve it, she also fired shots at me, which thankfully missed. When he was about to mount the Gouf, she took his hand without reservation and joined him. I attempted to stop them both, but my weapon was heavily damaged." Ray's voice was calm and collected. On the other hand, Shinn's breath caught in his throat. "I believe there was a security camera in the area. Please check the recordings."

Talia slammed her palms on Dullindal's desk as he looked into his computer screen. "Meyrin did what?"

"So she is not to be considered a hostage?" The black haired man returned.

"Correct. She has not been taken against her will."

"Kgh!" Athrun flinched at his words.

Lightning illuminated the darkness once again, and in an almost symbolic way, Shinn spoke finally, even though it was slightly jumbled. "Athrun…why'd he…?"

"Chairman, Meyrin is an expert in the field of intelligence. Though I don't know what led to her betrayal, but if she is allowed to escape, numerous ZAFT secrets may be leaked." Ray continued his conversation.

"But Meyrin too? Why her?" Shinn was in total conflict.

"It is of my opinion that we end their escape attempt immediately. I ask for permission to use deadly force."

"Ray!" Shinn's eyes went wide.

"Ray! Hold on a second!" Gladys spoke from above the console.

The Chairman paid no mind. "That so? Understood. Your judgement is trusted. Deadly force authorized."

"Gichou!" Talia protested loudly. He shot her a look that caused her to back away in shock and fear.

"Arigato gozaimasu." Ray finished his transmission.

"Ray! That's too much!" Shinn shot a stressed cry at him.

"You heard it too, Shinn. That's how things are going to go."

"But in that suit…."

Legend broke formation and banked to the right. "I'll close in from the right. You're faster, so circle in front of them!"

"Kgh. Ung. Ray!" Shinn could hardly speak. In fact, the stress was so much he began to sweat.

Knowing Shinn wasn't an easy sell, Ray dangled the bait. "If the Chairman's ideals, and those who believe in him, are destroyed because of them, what will you do then?" Shinn's eyes shot open. "In this tense time, traitorous actions can't go unpunished! Come to your senses, Shinn! We have to prevent that from happening!" Still reluctant, Shinn accelerated.

Legend pulled out its doublewide beam rifle and fired at the Gouf. Athrun dodged to one side as the beam hit the water just inches beside them. Meyrin squeaked in fear as the cockpit shook. "Kuso! Is Ray in that thing?" From above, the blonde shot his blaster at the two traitors, but Athrun's expert dodging abilities kept any shot from connecting. Over his left shoulder, Shinn came within firing range. Athrun quickly rolled out of the way as the shot came even closer than those Legend fired.

"Tch!" Shinn snarled as he pursued the escaping suit, extending the rifle with one hand and firing it rapidly.

"Shinn!" Athrun cried.

"Why did this come about? Why did you turn her against us?" Shinn's anger boiled over.

It was evident that Athrun was not going to be able to escape by just dodging, so he turned the Gouf on its back and fired the gatling gun on its arm. Destiny pulled back and spread the reflector shield equipped on its regular shield. "Shinn, knock it off!" Athrun said as they hovered, watching each other's movements. "We've been manipulated by him from the start! You as well!" Shinn just grunted in response.

"As if that will fool us?" Ray came in from the right. "You've disgraced us all, Athrun!"

"Ray!" Legend pointed six of its backpack cannons at the mobile suit, and shot them simultaneously at it. With expert timing, Athrun rolled out of the way and returned gatling fire. Ray spread the beam shield on the back of his hand and blocked the shots, looking down at them with a superior smile on his normally blank face. "Kgh!"

"Stop running!" Shinn closed his eyes for a moment, before begging his request. "Just surrender!" Destiny overtook the suit, trying to grab it, but Athrun throttled back as fast as possible. "Don't become a traitor! Go back to base!" He fired again and again at the suit.

Meyrin had her eyes tightly shut as she hung on to the chair. Athrun clicked his teeth together. "Shinn!" He did an about face and tossed out the electro-whip housed in the arm. Its red-hot metal wrapped around the rifle and the charge raced through, overloading the weapon and blowing up just a split second after Shinn put up his shield. The explosion pushed him back. "Enough of this! I'm not going to go down like this! And I won't let Meyrin either! Shinn, please listen! I know that Ray and the Chairman sound like their way is the right one…."

"Silence, Athrun!" Ray fired his rifle between the two suits. Both backed away, making a hole for Legend, who fired again.

The former FAITH officer deflected it with his shield and returned fire. "But when the smoke clears, they'll be the ones that destroyed the earth!" Shinn twitched, and Meyrin turned to Athrun in shock. "I can't let that happen!" Shinn couldn't say anything from his open mouth.

Lightning struck again as Ray jumped in. "Shinn, ignore him!" From its hip, Legend pulled out a long beam saber and throttled towards the enemy suit. Athrun quickly prepared for hand to hand combat and removed the extendable Tempest saber from the shield, and accelerated to meet him. With the spiked shield, the Gouf blocked Legend's arm from finishing the swing. "Athrun's already been deemed mentally unstable!" He pulled back a moment before Athrun took his swing.

"Huh?" Shinn raised his head.

"Quit spewing bullshit!" Athrun yelled. "Shinn, I know what I'm talking about! Dullindal's been using all of us as pawns!"

"Shinn, please stop!" Meyrin begged.

"Don't get tangled in his web of lies, Shinn!" Ray retorted.

"Shinn, if you're going to shoot me, then at least take Meyrin! She's got nothing to do with this!"

"She's been guilty since she hacked the computers. Also, ever since she was returned from the Archangel, we've suspected she had gone through some type of brainwashing and has been kept under watch! She's already condemned to death, like you."

"Ray!" Athrun snarled.

"Ray!" Shinn echoed in a begging tone.

Meyrin jumped in front of Athrun's camera. "Then go ahead and kill me, but let Athrun go! I won't let him…."

"No! Meyrin, I said I wasn't going to let you die because of me and I mean it!" He tried to push her back.

"Shinn, if Adam were here, what would he want you to do?"

"Leave him out of this!" Shinn snarled. "He's been gone ever since Falcon blew up, and now you're using him as an excuse?"

"You're wrong, Shinn! He was with me! He was aboard the Archangel! He saved me! He was on that ship when it was shot down! The Minerva killed him!"

Shinn's color palate inverted as he became paralyzed in shock. "Adam was… alive?"

"Have you become unstable too, Meyrin?" Ray said as he took another shot. Athrun finally moved the girl out of the way and cranked his controls to one side to dodge. "He was KIA at Kurata."

"You're lying! The captain made a deal with the Archangel to return us both in return for their escape, but they sank her anyway! The one who betrayed was you!"

"No way… it can't be…." Shinn's hands twitched at his controls.

"Shinn, they're the enemy! They'd say anything to get away! Don't listen to them!" Ray retorted. The lightning flashed around the motionless suit. "They betrayed the Chairman, betrayed us! They're trying to crush the hopes and dreams of those who want peace! And you're just going to hover there?" Shinn's head moved left and right, as if arguing within himself with every turn of his face. "You said so yourself. You'd go against any enemy to protect those wishes?" The boy was shivering now.

"Shinn!" Athrun begged. "Look at yourself! They're turning you into a puppet! They're only using you!"

"Shinn! Dullindal's been lying to us from the beginning! He's been fooling us from the start of the war, maybe even from before! I know Adam wouldn't want this to happen! Please, please listen!" Meyrin looked into his eyes.

Everything became too much for the red eyed pilot. To his eyes, everything turned black around his cockpit. His heart was pounding. He was sweating terribly. He was panting heavily. His mind was in a total dilemma. Something was bound to break. _"The Chairman's words really touched me. I know he said it would be hard, but he also said he'd stand by us and not give up. That's because this is the only way to end this war." The boy's hands crushed the can there unknowingly. "If that's the way it is, then even I…I'll fight against whichever enemies I have to!"_

"_Once this war is over, it's my goal to create such a world. If I can create a place where everyone is filled with happiness, then war will never exist again. I know it sound's only like a dream, but I'll make it happen if it kills me." Athrun had long before gone silent, realizing he could not win this battle. "And since we need help for that day, I want you both to give it your all."_

"CHIKSHOU!" Shinn screamed, his rage flowing freely now. Something indeed had broken, and it was his seed. From Destiny's back, Shinn pulled out the anti-ship beam sword and activated it.

"Shinn!" Meyrin and Athrun both gasped, realizing the now futility of reasoning with him.

The madness consumed the young pilot as he pointed the sword straight at the Gouf, spreading the sparkling wings of plasma to their fullest extent. He said nothing as he stared at them with solid red eyes. _"Just why are you doing this? Do you want to start another war?"_

"_Hi, you've reached Mayu's cell. I'm not here right now, so leave a message after the beep…."_

"_Way to go you lucky sonofabitch!"_

"_Hey, what the…cut that out!"_

"_Shinn… you came to see me?"_

"_Therefore, I hereby declare that ZAFTs goal in this war is to rid the world of its true enemy, the ones that try to counteract the ones who fight for peace!"_

Shinn's voice was barely a whisper when he finally spoke. "This is all your fault. Because of you… because of you…!" His voice got louder with every phrase. "BECAUSE YOU'VE BECOME A TRAITOR TO US ALL!" He lifted the blade over his shoulder and thrust forward. "HRREEEEAAAAAHHHH!"

"Shinn, no!" Athrun yelled as he turned his thrusters to over the normal maximum, breaking away from his shield and sword battle with Ray right as the massive blade sliced between them. He was close enough to use his electrowhip, and he did so, but Destiny slid out of the way so fast, it left an after image. Within less than a second, he grabbed onto the rope with his free hand and it blew up. The attack took Athrun off guard, and then he saw what caused the explosion. A beam cannon built into Destiny's palms.

Ray decided to watch the show and backed away. "Hggrrrhhh!" Shinn snarled as he pulled back and raised the saber over his head. His speed made it sound like he was unzipping the sky as afterimages coated it. It was too fast for Athrun to counter, as the shield quickly got sliced off, along with one hand. Meyrin and Athrun tried to back up as fast as possible, but Shinn kept driving forward. "GGRREEEEHHH!" Another slice took off the opposite arm. The Gouf was completely defenseless. "I will… I will never again be... tricked by people like you!" He put the sword directly in front of him.

In a last plead, Athrun cried out. "SHINN!"

"Agh!" Meyrin choked on her breath.

"RRRRAAAAAAAHHHH!" The blade went straight through the left side of the torso and out the other side. Shinn let the sword go, and as the plasma storm lit up the sky, the silhouette of the damaged Gouf fell into the sea, where it exploded soon after.

Ray looked on with absolutely no emotion. Shinn panted heavily, his hands gripped tightly around his controls. He closed his eyes and tried to return to normal, but all he saw on the back of his eyelids were pieces of blue armor sinking to the bottom of the ocean. When his imagination showed the stream of blood clouding the already dark water, his eyes snapped open. His seed was gone, now replaced with tears. "Shinn." Ray hovered next to him. The boy slowly raised his head to the screen. "Good job." He looked away in disgust at himself. "This mission is complete."

"Mission? That's what you call this?" He asked, eyes quivering.

"Ah."

"Ath…run…. Mey…rin…."

"They were traitors and enemies. And we took them out." Ray said with a smile. Shinn looked up again, with tears streaming down his face. "We did what was necessary. So let's go back."

"Ray…. Why do I keep losing people?" He whispered. The boy on the other end of the transmission only frowned and turned off his screen. They turned back towards Gibraltar, the unforgiving rains pounding on their armors, as if to force them into the sea and drown them for what they had done. After observing them leaving the scene, a certain ORB citizen in an EAF uniform began a secretive search in a small tugboat that went unnoticed in the battle.

Dullindal sighed as he looked at the footage from the hangar, Talia and the other officers of Gibraltar standing silent on the other side of the desk. Mia had long since given up looking through the crack in the door, and hung her head. Even her Haro was silent, as it flapped its arms, futilely trying to cheer her up by looking cute. The silence was broken. "Report incoming. Gouf has been taken down." The entire room let out a collective sigh, except for Talia. Her gasp was louder than all the others. "Destiny, Legend, now returning to base." Mia picked up her head and trembled in shock.

"That so? Arigato." Dullindal said with a straight face. Talia had enough. She was furious to say the least as she approached the desk. "Klyver, make sure the report on this is VERY short. The allied Alliance will start asking questions soon."

"Hai." The black coat said.

"Also include the circumstances that led to this, especially the girl's time aboard the Archangel. Request that the crime scene be sealed off, and send out an investigation team."

He saluted. "Very well, sir." He took his leave.

To another black coat, he spoke again. "Meyrin Hawke had an older sister if my recollection is correct. Please summon her. We'll need to interview her for the investigation, and inform her of what has come to pass. Can I count on you for that one?"

"Sir!" Another man saluted and left.

Now to the person that he wanted to avoid speaking to at that moment. "We'll also probably have to search their quarters on Minerva. Captain Gladys, will you grant that?"

"Eh, of course. But I wish to have a word with you before that." Her tone was filled with venom.

Dullindal only smiled at her. "There's no need to give me that look, Talia. I planned on discussing this with you the moment this hell started. Besides, I have a few questions of my own for you." She looked at him with slight confusion. "I was the one that reinstated him with the promotion to FAITH. I never thought that it would wind up like this. It's quite a shock to me too." Though he said it, his face didn't display it at all, and it was something that the woman picked up instantly.

"Chairman." A green coat saluted.

The tall man held him off with a raised hand as he continued. "This has been troublesome for you too. I'm sorry this has happened." As he went to talk with the man, he turned towards Gladys one last time. "Please calm yourself for now, and I'll talk with you when I have more time." Talia was anything but calm as she bit the corner of her lip.

Outside, Ray and Shinn landed at the hangar they launched from. Legend started moving in first, but Destiny stood in the rain, immobile. "Shinn, what's up?"

"Uh? No." He ended the transmission with a downcast face. "How can you ask me that?" They both went into docking position.

"Ma'am." A man in warm clothes, and melting snow on his shoulders came in to a large computer lounge, where the girl with red hair was typing away.

"What is it? I'm busy looking up information on that boy's girl."

"It's about that, ma'am. We've received a transmission from one of our operatives in Gibraltar. Here's the contents." He handed a disk to her.

"Thank you." She inserted the data and accessed it. She gasped at what she saw. "This is...!"

"Ah." The man looked away.

She stood up and whirled around, staring the man in the face. "He must never get wind of this, do you understand me? This information does not leave this room! Delete any backups, and make sure the logs reflect that this was never accessed!"

"M…ma'am, but why? Doesn't he have the right to…."

"Don't talk to me about rights! If he finds out, then his soul will be crushed! I can't let that happen to him!"

"But…."

"No objections! You know of my past! Don't you think I know what I'm talking about? I can't… let another go through… the same hell as me." A tear ran down her cheek, and then another, and another. "Do as I ordered, damnit!" She rushed out of the room. The man sighed and went to the task.

"So, what is all this about?" Lunamaria took a very uncomfortable seat as a bright light illuminated an aluminum table in front of her. "Does this have anything to do with that mass chaos from before?"

"I'm afraid it does, Miss Hawke." One of two men said on the other end of the table. "You have a younger sister, correct?"

"Yes." She said hesitantly.

"Have you noticed anything strange about her behavior as of late?"

"Her boyfriend had died just over a week ago. It really hit her hard. What does this have to do with anything?"

"We will answer your questions in due time Miss Hawke. Please refrain from making unnecessary comments. Did this grief cause her to do anything odd or suspicious?"

"She wanted to leave ZAFT because of it. Something about not wanting to be a part of it anymore, but she was talked out of it by Athrun-san." With that, the two men started whispering to each other. "Look, what the hell is this all about?"

"How often after this incident did those two converse?" The interrogators asked, ignoring her.

She crossed her arms. "Lunamaria Hawke, Zaku Warrior Pilot, Serial Number 385675."

"Please answer the question."

"Lunamaria Hawke, Zaku Warrior Pilot, Serial Number 385675."

"You're being uncooperative."

"That's because you haven't told me what I SHOULD be cooperating with!"

"What was Meyrin Hawke's relationship pertaining to Athrun Zala after her lover's death?"

"Lunamaria Hawke, Zaku Warrior Pilot, Serial Number 385675."

The interrogator sighed. "Show her." The second man opened up a folder on the desk and spread out in front of her a computer access log and some still camera photos from the Mobile Suit hangar. "Meyrin Hawke had illegally accessed the host server of Gibraltar from her room terminal, setting off a fake alarm at the port. She did this to throw the trail off the manhunt for the traitor, Athrun Zala, who attacked our security personnel. With her assistance, as you can see with these photographs, she assisted him in getting a mobile suit to escape in, turned a weapon on one of her own crewmates, and took off with the betrayer."

"No way… this can't…." Luna's hands were trembling as she held up the photos.

"They were pursued by the Legend and Destiny, piloted by Ray za Burrel and Shinn Asuka respectively. To prevent the escape, lethal force was necessary. Shinn Asuka made the final blow. Meyrin Hawke has been declared deceased. I am truly sorry for your loss, but I must ask you to cooperate with our investigation. If possible, we would like to clear her name."

"Meyrin was…. Meyrin couldn't do…. This is just another prank of hers, right?" She looked at the men with trembling eyes. "She's gonna pop out here any moment and say 'I fooled ya,' ne?" The men looked away and stayed silent as the tears started to flow. "This isn't real! She couldn't have done that! That girl would never do… and Athrun wouldn't either! This is all a big mistake! She's smarter than that! She wouldn't do something that stupid!" She slammed her fists into the table and placed her head in them. "How could this happen? I can't lose her twice! I can't handle it!"

The interrogator sighed and put away the materials that he brought with him. "There's nothing more we can get from her today. Get her a counselor, and have a medical team stand by just in case." He left the room just as Luna began to wail. Even though he wasn't a part of the mess, his heart couldn't help but ache for her.

Adam sat up in his bed, eating the breakfast in his lap with a fork. The door slid open and the young woman entered again. "Oh, hey Miss Annonymous." He said with a partially full mouth.

"Hello to you too, and good morning. I see they finally gave you a way to eat."

"Oh yeah. Thanks for getting them to release me from that, at least partially." He swallowed the mouthful he had. "This stuff is top notch. Give my compliments to the chef."

"I wasn't hungry this morning. What's on the menu?"

"Mmm, salmon with poached eggs and a white cream sauce over toasted biscuits. It's delicious! Never got this stuff on Minerva!" He stuck another forkful in his mouth.

"Sorry I missed it."

"So, cutting to the chase, I'm guessing you found something out about Meyrin. Else you wouldn't be here." He pointed a fork.

The girl paused for a long time, the downcast look she constantly wore deepened. It was almost enough to make Adam lose his appetite. She shook her head. "Sorry to disappoint you. I haven't heard anything. I just came to see how you were doing."

"Really?" Adam put his fork down and stared at her.

"Really."

There was a long pause. "Fine, whatever." Adam said before he plugged his lips with another forkful.

"I am trying."

"I know you are." He said after he swallowed again. "It's just that I can't help but be suspicious when I'm chained to a bed." He tugged his legs and rattled the cuffs as an illustration. "Speaking of which, I'm gonna get muscle atrophy if you don't let me move around. Believe me, I should know."

"I doubt you'll get your way on that one."

"Oh come on. If you haven't noticed, I'm still pretty banged up, so its not like I can hurt you. And aside from the chains, you have been taking care of me, especially this 4 star cuisine." He looked into her stern and saddened face. "Look, if it makes you feel any better, I'll stay in this room and you can post an armed guard outside or inside, I don't care, but at least get me out of the shackles!"

"I'll think about it. Anything else you need before I go and attend to other business?"

"Your name would be nice."

"Still on that, eh? Sorry. Not happening." She left without another word.

Shinn and Ray went into Dullindal's office and saluted. "Good morning, sir." They said in unison.

"Ohayo." He returned. Once they lowered their arms, Dullindal spoke again. "I really should apologize for yesterday. That was a very sudden and difficult mission."

"No, sir." Ray said humbly, but the near deadpan Shinn said nothing.

"But both of you did a good job. Arigato."

"Shinn is the one that finished them off." Ray gave credit where credit was due, but it was a very unwanted credit for him.

"Really?"

"Uh? Unh." The boy whispered with downcast eyes.

"Are you feeling okay?" The chairman intertwined his fingers as he leaned forward on his desk.

"I am completely fine… sir." He said slowly and meticulously. Not letting his feelings get out of hand. "But… Athrun and Meyrin, why would they do something like that?"

"We still have no answer to that, and we haven't found the cockpit in our searches, so I doubt that answer will ever be found. On the other hand, it appears our data pertaining to Ragnarok has been hacked into." It was a bald faced lie, but Shinn didn't know that.

"Ragnarok, sir?"

"That's the code name for our attack on Heaven's Base. It's a bit exaggerated, don't you think? Even so, there is info on Destiny and Legend in that folder. The infiltration wouldn't have been so simple, but if someone that knew a lot about the information…."

"Meyrin fits that description, correct?" Ray smiled.

Dullindal nodded, and Shinn looked down again. "He even tried to bring Lacus with him. But Lacus refused, and that's how we learned where things stood. Why did he do it? Where would he go? I know he was angry about the order to shoot down Archangel and Freedom, but then again…."

"Do you think it could be because he lost his support?" Ray interrupted.

"We have no way of knowing." Dullindal sighed. "But we need to find out where he was heading, so we can at least fit that part of the puzzle."

"If it's the Ragnarok data that was hacked, then there's only one place for it to go and be useful."

"Uh? Logos?" Shinn asked quickly.

"When war broke out, Athrun came to me and literally begged me to find a way out of it." Dullindal informed them of that private session. "That's why I returned him to the military in the first place. But then why was he so annoyed with the tactic of destroying Logos?"

"Chairman…."

"I sympathize sir, but there's no more reason to dwell on it." Ray answered. "We will support you, Chairman."

"Ray." Shinn whispered in semi-admiration.

"However tough it may be, you've chosen the correct path to peace, and we will be here for you."

"Ray…." Dullindal said in mock honor.

Shinn nodded his allegiance as well before the blonde continued again. "We'll stand ready for your next order." They both saluted.

"Arigato."

Lunamaria was escorted back to the ship by armed guards, to keep all unnecessary questions away from her. She had no energy left in her body. Her movement was almost robotic. And the look on her face was of a pure heartbreak.

In the Minerva's hangar, two new mobile suits were moved into docking position. Youlan looked up at them. "So those are…."

"Destiny. Legend." Vino finished for him as Destiny's cockpit opened and Shinn stepped onto the elevator platform.

"Shinn and Ray are going to be piloting those now, then?" Youlan whispered.

"But Meyrin…." Vino clenched his fist.

"Hey, stop it!" Youlan hushed him.

The orange tufted mechanic watched Shinn walk away in silence. "I almost want to kill him for what he did to her, but…."

"Forget about it! Don't mention it again, ever!" His tanned co-worker whispered back, just to hear the younger boy choke on his breath.

"You've been doing a lot of work lately, Captain." Arthur spoke to her in her chambers.

"How is everything, aboard ship? Everyone's heard the news of what happened from HQ, I'm sure."

"Hai. It was a big shock to everyone. I'd say everyone's a little disturbed about it."

"Isn't that the truth." Talia sighed.

"Captain…."

"Sorry, but do you think I could let you continue to command for a while? Right now I don't feel up to taking command."

"H…hai!"

"Don't worry. I'll be there soon. Just… not right now."

"Sir!" Arthur saluted.

Shinn and Ray walked the halls side by side. Shinn didn't really even know where he was heading. It was like his feet were moving on their own. His weren't the only feet doing that, because a certain girl with purplish-red hair was walking towards them in the opposite direction. Once seeing her, Shinn stopped, and Ray soon after. Luna let out a small gasp as well once she halted. There was an extremely painful silence in the gap between them. It was a moment neither of them wanted to face, and yet, it did. Shinn clutched his hand into a fist and walked forward. His red eyes couldn't meet hers. Her blue eyes couldn't meet his. He just walked. As he took his first step past her, he whispered one word. "Gomen."

Luna went rigid and turned around, to see that Shinn had stopped only a few steps away, his back towards her, feeling lower than dirt. It brought tears to Luna's eyes once again. What happened next was completely unexpected to Shinn. He thought there would be some yelling, some slaps, punches, and other such violent vents. Never did he think that she would grab his jacket and press her face into his back and let all the tears flow. As he looked back at her, he began to lose control of himself as well. He turned around, and slowly clasped his hands around her thin arms. They didn't stay there for long, as he brought her into a tight embrace that they both needed. Her wails became to much, and Shinn also started to whimper.

Ray left without another word. He didn't need to be there for this. So he would leave them be.

"I lost her twice! Shinn, I lost her twice!" Luna continued to bury herself in his chest.

"I know! Damn it, I know! Why do I keep losing the people I care most about? Mayu, Adam, Stellar, Athrun, and…. When will it end? God, when will it end?"

How long they stayed there was anyone's guess. But their tears had been emptied by the time they stopped. That was for certain.

"Varnass, St. Augustine, cleared for departure. Wharf 4's Bjelica and Wharf 9's Ilyas are projected to depart in 10 minutes. 15th Task Fleet, you're clear on Course C."

"Chairman." The man's assistant called for him.

"Ah. I understand. This must be done. We've all come here for that express purpose."

"Bajima team, launch! Shiryou team, hashin standby."

"Course clear. BB01, Flagship Minerva, cleared for departure."

Two days later, the entire ZAFT and Allied fleets left Gibraltar. Meyrin's replacement was on the bridge, and she was trying to do her job well, but everyone still felt uneasy with her. Arthur was the one in charge for a little bit longer. "This is BB01, Minerva. All troops are to form up on our ship."

On the bridge, the Chairman and his tacticians sat in front of the map table, next to the captain. "Send out an ultimatum to Heaven's Base. 'Lord Djibril is to be handed over as well as those members identified as part of Logos that currently reside in your base.'"

"Hai!"

"It would be the best case scenario if we can talk it out."

On an ORB plane hidden in an atoll, Kisaka-san sat in the co-pilot's chair and checked the video monitor on the two patients in the medical bay, one with dark blue hair, and one with pinkish-red hair. The plane took off soon after.

The wounded Archangel backed into its original residence, deep underground in a secret ORB facility underneath the island. "Entry clearance: 311. Mooring team, prepare to dock. Radiation team, get in place on paddock A."

"Yosh!" Amagi said into his headset. "Begin the repairs immediately, and start the resupply proceedings as well! Move it!"

Miriallia was tense. "The troops from Gibraltar are on the move! They're sending an ultimatum to Heaven's Base!"

"Uh?" Kira turned to the monitor.

"' We of the joint ZAFT and EAF forces demand the following. 1. The immediate removal of all Logos members and transport of them to our ships. 2. The immediate abandonment and disarmament of all weapons and facilities.'"

Murrue whispered, realizing what it meant. "This is…."

"Murrue-san, please put me through to Lacus." Kira asked her quickly. "Is that possible? We need to get moving now…."

In space, Lacus finished off his thought. "Or else we'll never make it in time."

Watfeld was confused by her statement. "But things are already on the move."

"If Heaven's Base falls, ORB will be next. I'm sure of it."

"Eh?" DaCosta flinched.

"If that happens, then no one will be able to oppose him."

"Things are picking up faster than we expected." The girl twirled a lock of hair around her finger as she read the ultimatum. "Has the prototype been completed yet?"

"Just finished, but only thanks to an old acquaintance of yours." The girl's second in command said.

"An old acquaintance?" She repeated.

"I believe he means me." A teen with curly red hair waltzed into the room, hopped over a sofa and sat in it with his legs crossed all in one motion. "Yo."

The girl smiled sadly. "It's good to see you again, Alan Sherridan."

"Anything for my best customer. Hey, you got any hot cocoa? I'm just dying for some right now."

Shinn walked in the door of his now shared room with Ray, as it was originally. His movements were sluggish, and he said absolutely nothing as he flopped onto his bed. He pulled Mayu's phone out of his pocket. 'I'll end this war… for sure… this time." Shinn closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and gripped his phone tighter.

As the plane began its descent, Athrun's eyebrows twitched.

Chapter 26 Preview: Tears. Liquid drops of sorrow. So many have been shed. Too many have been shed. And yet an infinite amount more may yet be over the horizon. Where is the comfort? Where is the relief? As time slowly ticks down, the ultimate forces of EAF and ZAFT are revealed as the world watches. The outcome will decide the fate of many, and to whom the tears must come from. Next time on Old Friends Anew: The Waving Banner. Burst through the atrocities and assault the gates of hell, Destiny!


	26. Old Friends Anew Ch 26

Old Friends Anew

Phase-26: The Waving Banner

The TV cameras were rolling as the waves lapped at their ships, for in a cold winter sea, innumerable ships from ZAFT and the allied EAF closed in upon Heaven's Base of the EAF/Logos faction. And those were just the ones on the surface. Submarines also cut through the water below the water's edge. The Minerva was in the center of it all, the most important man in ZAFT on the bridge. He sat in front of a map table with his aides and Talia by his side. The woman spoke first. "Just 5 more hours until the ultimatum runs out. They have to respond before then, don't they?"

"It might have been a waste of efforts after all." Dullindal sighed. "Just as I hoped it wouldn't be. I wanted to go with the best solution and end this peacefully."

In the hangar, Shinn and Ray were making condition checks to their new machines. "42 Destiny and 666 Legend rifle spares have arrived in paddock two." An announcement came over the PA. In a surprising turn of events, Lunamaria was in the seat of Core Splendor, getting the rundown from Vino and Youlan. There was an eerie forced normalcy to the place.

Inside the EAF's Supreme Headquarters, also dubbed Heaven's Base, the PA system was getting its workout as well. "Closing Gates C-18 through 30. All personnel, please run through your final checklists." The mechanics started evacuating the launch pads as fast as possible. "All F-class facilities, please begin evacuation to the underground sections." On the surface, something new was to be seen. New Dagger mobile suits, equipped with Launcher Strike equipment, guarded the mobile armor elevators, which raised the newest massed produced Euclid armors to ground level. The Euclid armor, equipped with multiple CWIS machine guns, and beam cannons on its fore seemed skimpy in comparison to the other two new mobile armors that had been created recently. But these were new, and their mettle would soon be tested. "Defensive formation Omega has been chosen. Positions everyone."

Deep inside the base, mechanics were still working hard, as another announcement came over the radios. "In 30 minutes, the Nibelung charging begins. Please be at your stations and clear of the main cables by that time."

"Heh!" Djibril stood, looking down at the command deck from his comfy overlook with the surviving members of Logos. "They send demands and expect an answer? Dullindal must be patting himself on the back right now."

One of his associates turned towards him. "But will our protection be assured with this, Djibril?"

"Protection? Huh? What the hell are you thinking about? This is an offensive! Starting today, in this place! If we are defeated, do you really think the world will turn out to be a peaceful place? Ha! The fools were tricked so easily into believing him, the populous, I mean. But, that's all the more reason we have to take him down! If we lose, then we go on the path of no return. If we lose, the world just becomes something he and all Coordinators will own!"

"Hmm, those statements are quite true. If they break us, then they'll replace us with their own."

A third member lit a cigar. "Champions of justice don't exist in this world, and neither do saints."

"Everything will start once the final preparations are made. Not even "Gichou" will be able to press further. He's there on the front line, showing off for the world. He'll regret doing that very soon, as he burns in hell!"

A certain green-haired boy stood on a platform with a very familiar black and red metallic mass behind him. A medic spoke with him. "Okay, now for one more shot before you hop in."

"I don't want any more damn shots!" He snarled, breaking away.

"Now, now, Sting. It's for your own good you know. We don't want you to lose in a fight."

"I won't fucking lose! I don't need any shots! And my name's not Sting! When Papa gets here, you'll see! You'll see! You'll all see!"

"Eh? Then what is your name?" The doctor smiled slyly.

"Um…um… Sting." He said proudly, his mood completely changed.

"Then, since you're Sting, then you won't mind getting this injection."

"Um…um…sure." Sting held out his arm.

"You may remember a few things as the drugs start to take effect, as usual, but don't worry, they'll be gone in a jiffy." The man squeezed the syringe into his arm.

Immediately, Sting grabbed his forehead with the other hand.

FLASH!

"There he is!" Three EAF medical personnel appeared above him. "Hang on, we'll get you out of here." Unblinking, he looked at the snowy sky and smiled. The peace was ruined by the three Murasame that flew above him. He screamed.

FLASH!

"We're losing him! Blood pressure is dropping fast!"

"Increase the dosage of the drug tenfold. He isn't expendable!" An authoritative man boomed.

"But that will nearly poison him!"

"Do it!"

"Doctor! He's awake!"

"What? Damn Extendeds! Increase the sedative by 5 times!"

FLASH!

He sat by his cradle, ready to go to sleep. The man with the authoritative voice spoke in whispers to a tech. "Go into his memories of the Destroy battle. Keep everything about Destroy, but cut out all else."

"Sir, that's extensive work. If we do that in his weakened condition, he might become almost as unstable as Stellar!"

"As long as he can fight, he's useful. Put in another block word if you have to." The man picked up his black cat and went to the door. "Oh! Delete that fool Neo and replace him."

"Replace him sir? With who?"

"Me." He stared directly at Sting. "Make me his… Papa." He let out a chuckle before the door closed in front of his nose.

FLASH!

Sting released his forehead and dropped his arm to his side, lowering his head in the process. A mechanic came up to him. "Here's your helmet." Sting took it slowly, then out of the blue punched the tech's face in, throwing him over the guardrail and to his doom down below.

The doctor sighed. "Another one? That's the third this week. Sting, how do you feel?"

"I feel…" He lifted his head up revealing a menacingly evil smile. "I feel like kicking some ass!"

"Well you'll get to do plenty of that soon. Your Papa told us to give you this machine. Have fun while you're in it, you'll love it, I swear."

"Papa did huh?" Sting looked to the massive mobile suit and sealed his helmet on. "Then let's find some asses worth kicking and some heads worth taking!"

The Minerva's pilot lounge seemed so very empty as Shinn looked out the window into the hangar. Technically, he wasn't really looking at anything, lost in his own thoughts, mostly painful ones. The silence was disturbed when female feet padded into the room. "Impulse…." Luna said as she approached him. "It's incredible, just like I thought." She stopped right next to him as he tilted his head towards her. "I'm having doubts as to if I'll be able to handle it. As well as you did, I mean." Her eyes turned sad.

"Luna…." He said quietly, understanding, but not knowing what to say.

Luna switched into an angry outburst unexpectedly. "Logos were the ones right? The ones that screwed with their minds, right? Athrun and Meyrin…" Until she spoke those two names, Shinn didn't know what she was talking about. But then…. "She never had the character to do anything of the sort… Meyrin…. Athrun was the same too, I know it!" She turned away and bit her lip. "He should have never gone to ORB after the war ended." The poor girl started to quiver.

"Luna…." Shinn was completely confounded about the situation and how to react.

The red-haired girl took a painful breath in an attempt to keep her tears from appearing. "He tricked us all, didn't he? Athrun…. We all got betrayed. I was a total fool." She stared at the floor. Shinn turned away from her and matched her position almost perfectly. "But… I don't give up so easily!" She turned her head towards the taller boy, and saw his frustration. Something took over inside of her, something that made her face change into a sad, sympathetic smile. She took a couple of steps closer and stroked his hair. Even though she couldn't feel it through her gloves it felt somehow relieving. That subtle petting brought Shinn out of his stupor, and he flinched, surprised that she would even come near him after what he had done. "You won't give up either, right Shinn?" He quivered under her touch. "Ne?"

Their eyes met, both starting to water. Trembling red and quivering blue. And something odd happened then. Luna's sad smile disappeared as she drew closer to Shinn. It was almost as if her body was being guided as she opened her mouth slightly. Shinn never picked up on that subtle movement. He dropped his helmet and brought her into a tight hug, one that took her completely off guard. "Luna…Luna!" Shinn sobbed into her shoulder. After the initial shock, Luna closed her eyes and finally let herself cry. She pressed her nose into his hair, and put her arms around him as well.

When they separated, they still held on to each other's sides as their eyes met again. Something took over in both their minds at that moment, as if guided by some unseen source. They drew each other's bodies towards them, and their lips touched. It was held for a long time, as their arms only held on to each other tighter.

To Lunamaria, it didn't make sense. In all logic, she should hate him, despise him, but then... why was she kissing him? What was she looking for in this boy, who was younger than she? Comfort? Some type of sick revenge? Love? She couldn't answer her own questions at that point. All she knew was that this action, of being pressed against Shinn as they held each other in tenderness, felt… felt… well, it felt a hell of a lot better than crying.

Shinn's mind was in a bit of turmoil as well. If anything, he had wanted to avoid Luna after that encounter in the hall, and yet here he was actually kissing her. He didn't even understand why he was kissing her. Did he really love her? Or was she just an outlet for all the suffering in his life? He didn't know. Whenever love came into his mind, he thought of Adam, and how happy he was. But thinking of that led to his girlfriend, Meyrin. The one he destroyed. It made him feel even more horrible, but somewhere, intermingled with their skin and saliva was something that made all the pain go away for a bit. It was… enjoyable.

They broke away from each other slowly, as the world around them continued in its regular time. "Gomen." He whispered to her. It was laden with hidden meaning. Sorry for the kiss, sorry for making you cry, and sorry for what I had done. That's what was hidden in that statement.

"It's okay." She responded in the same tone, in answer to the first meaning.

Shinn turned to pick up his helmet from the floor as Luna turned towards the window. They knew things had just changed drastically between them, but now was not the time to face it, as the battle was soon to be upon them. "You'll be fine." Shinn said, not looking at her.

"Eh?"

"Impulse will protect you now, and so will I."

"Shinn…." She looked back at him with a look that couldn't be placed. It was never on her face until after their intimate contact. It's as if it created it.

Whether it was perfect timing or the worst timing, no one could say, but Ray entered the lounge. The sound of the door sent Luna and Shinn walking towards the elevator at different paces. Ray was not an idiot though. He noticed right away that something had changed between them, but as to what, his imagination couldn't fathom. He shrugged it off and followed.

"Currently, we are reporting from a small civilian ship aside the fleet gathered near Heaven's Base." The broadcaster said into the microphone. "The countdown now stands at three hours remaining until the Dullindal Ultimatum deadline runs out."

The girl with the long red hair sipped a cup of tea. She sighed. Her second in command entered the room. "Watching the battle?"

"Ah." She took another sip. "Depending on this battle may decide the best move to take."

"But, as of right now, the Alliance has yet to respond." The reporter continued. "If the situation remains and the deadline elapses, then Chairman Dullindal, as ZAFT's supreme commander, and leader of the anti-Logos forces, will begin the assault on Heaven's Base personally."

The girl sighed again. "Both sides are doing unnecessary things. They should stop showing off so much."

"The men are taking bets as to who takes the victory in this one."

"Find the people who started it and discipline them." She said from behind her teacup. "And return the men their money. A battle shouldn't be a gambler's profit."

"Ma'am!" Her second saluted and left.

"But this is one of the biggest strongholds in the Alliance. It holds many armaments, and is itself a military factory." The announcer cared not about their discussion.

The ORB plane that took off from the hidden atoll in ZAFT territory was once again hidden in another atoll, but this time in its homeland. Underneath the surface of the water was a cave with some of the best repair equipment and mechanics known to man. "Re-supply sections, bring out unit number 112." The PA called out as the docked Archangel continued to be repaired.

Neo watched the broadcast from sickbay with earphones. "When the attack begins, the battle is expected to be extremely intense for both sides." Cagalli sat next to a familiar unconscious face, with a bandage wrapped around under his dark blue hair, a bandage on his cheek. Kira also watched over him as Kisaka nodded to the girl, taking his leave to check on the patient in the other room.

"All preparations complete." An EAF General said to the observation booth.

"Then let's start the operation." Djibril stood in front of the window with his hands behind his back.

"Um… but will this really…."

"To the victor go the spoils. And to be the victor, one must be the first to strike. It's not like we can avoid fighting. They think we've got no where to go. Let's show them that isn't true."

The General turned back to his station. "All forces, begin operation!"

Hundreds of missiles and projectile weaponry launched from the base and its battleships. On the Minerva, Burt's screen lit up faster than flash paper. "The enemy… detecting missile fire!"

"EH?" Arthur, who was sitting in the captain's chair for once, twitched.

"What the hell?" Dullindal was taken by surprise as well. All ships immediately began their attempts to shoot down the artillery hurtling towards them. It was too late for some. The brutal attacks turned the frontal force into fireballs in the sea.

All mobile suit hatches opened at the base. "Begin operation! Mobile Armor squads, Mobile Suit squads, hashin! Second and Third divisions, launch! All weapons free! Seventh and Fifteenth squadrons, take off!" Windams, flight Daggers, and the new mobile armors took to the air. Not only that, but a newer mass produced mobile suit squad, the Forbidden Blue, based on the old Forbidden Gundam, shot out of the underwater hatches.

"Mobile Suits, Mobile Armors, approaching rapidly." Burt spoke again. "The attack is underway!"

"That can't…." Talia gasped. "They haven't said a word yet!"

"But what is this?" The announcer came back on the television. "Heaven's Base has begun to attack!"

"Eh?" The beauty with flowing red hair put her tea down and left the room rapidly.

"They still have not responded to the ultimatum, with neither an agreement nor a declaration of war, but they still have begun their assault."

"Living CPU, linkage is holding at 87 percent. Systems, all green. X-1 Destroy, prepare to launch." The cables on the black devil released, and the hatches above began to open.

Sting laughed as he finished his system check. "Now! LET'S GO!" He hit the thrusters in the saucer section and lifted off. More than one of its radar shadow appeared coming from the base.

In sickbay, the boy on watch gasped as his best friend struggled to wake. "Athrun." He attempted to help him concentrate. "Athrun."

The blue haired teen's eyes focused on someone he never thought he'd see again. "Kira…?" He whispered in pain, his eyes filling with tears at the sight. Remembering when Impulse stabbed Freedom, Athrun shot up, trying to sit upright, but his injuries took him over.

Kira pushed him back onto the bed and covered him up again. "Oh no you don't. You're not allowed to move."

"I thought… you died…."

"It's okay now, Athrun. You're not dead either." Kira smiled. The joke wasn't wasted on the weakened boy, as he smiled before he passed out again.

"Adam!" The girl burst into the boy's room.

"I'm telling you there has to be something I can use as a chisel!" Adam sat up instantly, still groggy. When the sleep exited his eyes, he found the redhead working the keys to the cuffs on his legs. "Oh hey Miss Anonymous. Man, I was having such a good long rest, too."

"Complain about it later." She said as she tossed off the last cuff. "Come with me. There's something you should see." She grabbed his wrist roughly and yanked him out the door.

"Bruises! Ow, bruises! Don't be so rough! OWW!"

Hell's Representative had returned, and this time, it cloned itself. "That thing is…" Gladys was in a near panic.

"Five units of the Destroy type confirmed!" Burt sent back.

"Eeehhh?" Arthur squawked. "We're going against five of those things?"

"ALL RIGHT!" Sting yelled as he activated the twin double barrel cannons over Destroy's Mobile Armored shoulders. The four other units took his lead and also launched their massive positron beams at the enemy, disintegrating any vessel that was in the way.

"This is absolutely horrid!" Dullindal said. "Curse you Djibril!"

"Chairman, with those on the battlefield…." One of his advisors spoke.

"Ah. I understand. There's no other choice. We must counterattack immediately!"

"Sir!"

Alarms began to blare. "Condition Red announced. Prepare for battle of all types!"

In orbit around Heaven's Base, ZAFT drop ships received the signal. "Operation Ragnarok has begun. All descent troops, launch immediately." The drop pods released and dove into the atmosphere.

Underwater, the brand new and speedy Forbidden Blue units had the advantage. One launched the missiles hidden under its shields into a helpless GhOON. Another lifted its covering from its head and whipped out its trident, stabbing an ASSHU in the camera eye. Above the water level, five of hells gates had opened, as the Destroys began their attack anew, delivering the massive payload of countless missiles launched from their batteries. The submarines could advance no further, so they surfaced and sent a bombing barrage of missiles into the surface of the base. The floating harbinger of doom glowed in twenty places around its UFO ring. They erupted into rifle beams that shot straight through the submarine fleet and the mobile suits around. Sting let out a high pitched laugh. "This is awesome!" Another round of blasts from the rotating cannons was sent into the sky, eliminating Babis, DINNs, and any other flying enemy in the vicinity.

The young woman pulled Adam into the room with the broadcast on it and told him to sit down. When he saw the screen, he didn't. In fact he leaned forward, almost over the coffee table. "That's…! But… Kira and I took that thing down!" He started to tremble as he saw the silhouette of the living nightmare.

"Ah, you did. But as they say…. 'Why make one at face value, when you can make two at twice the price.'" She took a long sip of her tea.

"Then how do you explain that?" Adam pointed at the screen as it panned over the EAF lines.

Her tea suddenly left her mouth in a warm, wet spray. "They made five?"

Adam eyed her with a look of annoyance, a drop of tea falling off his nose. "Hey, I hope you have a towel or something. This tea is hot."

She nodded and quickly went to a drawer. "I had no idea they would make five more." She handed him a small handkerchief. "I underestimated their strength. Oh, and don't go blowing your nose in that thing."

"Tempting as it is, I'm not such an evil houseguest." Adam said through the towel as he wiped his face off. "Anyway. So what's up with this? The EAF and ZAFT going at it again? Was this what you wanted me to see?"

"No, it's not just another battle. This is the battle to end Logos for ZAFT, but the battle for the Earth for the EAF. This is the battle for Heaven's Base. Everything may change depending on the outcome."

"So why show it to me? I'm just a teen in a strange place."

"But you're also a mobile suit pilot. Adam, I looked up your records, and I know all about the pain you've had in being forced to do things you never wanted to, but now…." She paused and looked away.

"Eh?"

"I told you before that you choose your own path in this place. Adam, I never intended to force you, but I may have to ask you to make your choice soon. The reason I'm showing this to you is because it may help guide you to the path you want to go."

"I see." Adam turned back towards the screen as a Babi landed in the ocean right next to the broadcast boat. The girl sat down next to him. "So, which are you?"

"Hmm?"

"Your side, which are you on?"

"I have none. I am merely someone who wants peace, whichever way it may come. One who has been through the hell of war from the start. One who has been given scars from it. One who has scarred others because of it. One who shouldn't exist, but lives on as punishment for her deeds. One that wishes no more suffering upon anyone anymore." She met his eyes in sorrow, as she let her defenses fall away. Two tears ran down to her soft chin.

The boy could swear his heart had stopped for a moment. Every word she said, she had meant, and he could tell. The eyes he stared into weren't the ones he normally saw, they held now the true pain of the beating her psyche had taken. When he found his breath and voice again, he spoke. "What …who are you?"

"My name is of one assumed dead. By all rights I should be killed in painful ways. But I live on in my temperance. My name… is one I never wished to say, but for you, so you know the truth, I'll say it." She held her arm to her chest as she looked away. "My name is… my name is…" She sobbed weakly. "Fllay Alster."

Djibril cackled away. "Condemn us all you like, but it doesn't mean a thing if you can't win. After all, throughout recorded history, wars have always been winner-take-all."

The heat shields of the drop pods burned red hot as they hurtled towards the base. The spacial radar in Heaven's Base picked them up. "ZAFT descent pods incoming from directly overhead. Routes 26 through 31 were the deployment angles."

The general began another order. "Prep the Nibelung for firing."

"Sir! Releasing all safeties on the Nibelung system now. Give the evacuation order for the blast range."

Suddenly a mountain started to split apart directly behind the base. "Camouflage is receeding." An announcement went out as the mountain opened up to reveal what looked like a giant satellite dish.

The drop pod's locks blew open at their set altitude, falling apart around the mobile suits inside. They pushed off from what was left of the pod and re-activated. The middle section of the Nibelung antenna raised to its set level. "Irradiation angle correction: set between 20 and 32 degrees. Nibelung firing solution has been obtained."

"Hasha!" The general ordered without hesitation.

The central core of the Nibelung began to glow. It sent out beams of energy to the reflective surface of the dish. Soon, the air was electrified around the weapon. The power had nowhere to go but up from that point, and the irradiation beam, a defensive version of G.E.N.E.S.I.S., coated the sky above Heaven's Base.

The drop troops could do nothing to evade, and everything turned into a pressure cooker. "Gwah!" "AAGH!" The pilots cried out as their units disintegrated in midair.

"Fllay… Alster…." The word touched a memory in Adam's brain. "The monument… you're…."

Fllay put her face in her hands. "Don't! Please don't! Just watch the battle for now. I can't… can't answer you're questions… in this condition."

Adam's mouth closed. He gripped her shoulder, and put the handkerchief back in her hand. She still continued to sob. The boy did as he was told and turned back to the screen. "Oh my… God! The drop troops!" The redhead's eyes shot open between her fingers as her crying was stunned out of her. "They've been… annihilated!"

"Eh?" The presumed dead beauty sat back up and stared at the screen. "Oh God! Oh God, oh God, oh God! They made another. The damn bastards made another!"

"Another? What the hell is that thing?"

"Another. They made another."

"Hey, answer me!" Adam took her thin arms and shook her once. "Answer me! Look at me! FLLAY!" The word snapped her out of her stupor. "Just what the hell is that thing?"

"An irradiation cannon. That technology almost wiped out the entire planet at the end of the last war."

"Shit!" Adam slammed back into his seat. "Has everything become that desperate?"

Everyone aboard the Minerva was shocked. "That thing is…. No way!" Arthur said what everyone was thinking as they stared at the explosions above them.

Even the pilots, sitting in their mobile suits saw the carnage in the sky, broadcast to them courtesy of the new intelligence officer. "Just what the hell is that thing?" Shinn blew up.

"All descent troops have been… disintegrated!" One of the officers reported on the bridge.

"How could this happen?" Malik hissed under his breath. "Curse you, Logos!"

Shinn's mug appeared on an internal communications screen. "Captain! I'm heading out! Hurry and start the launch sequence!"

"Shinn…." Talia said quietly.

"Something like this can't be forgiven, and I won't sit by anymore!"

"But… the chaos out there is…."

"Permission granted." The chairman interrupted. "I'm counting on you all."

After a stunned pause by the captain, she spoke authoritatively once again. "Destiny, Legend, Impulse, hashin!"

"Shinn Asuka, Destiny, prepare for launch. System bootup confirmed. Launch sequence initiated." The currently gray mobile suit was moved into the port hatch. "Hatch opening. Ejection system engaged. Catapult, online. Ejection thrust, nominal. Course is clear. Destiny, hashin, go ahead." The clamps dropped Destiny's feet onto the catapult and locked them into place.

Bee, bee, bee, buzzzz! "Shinn Asuka, Destiny, ikkimas!" The brand new mobile suit leaned forward as the skids sent it on its way, yanking out the umbilical cable in the process. As it spread its plasma wings, the phase shift armor coated the unit in primary colors.

In the starboard hatch, another new mobile suit was ready to go. "Legend, launch, dozo."

"Ray za Burrel, Legend, hashin salu!" As he cleared the ship, the large backpack he carried spread out evenly as the gray armor came to life.

It wasn't over, as a familiar sight showed itself. Core Splendor rose to the Central Catapult launch position. "Core Splendor, launch when ready."

The engines came to life. Luna flipped down her visor. "Lunamaria Hawke, Core Splendor, ikkuwayo!" She hit the throttle, and once free of the ship, she emulated her new boyfriend, by barrel rolling away. As Splendor rose into the air, the jet folded in half as it ejected its missile pods. Docking with the legs first, Luna throttled up to meet the chest. As all of its limbs stretched out, the Force Silhouette delivered its payload as it attached to Impulse's back, sending the internal computer the signal to turn the armor's colors into red, blue, yellow, and white. The shield stretched out and the girl with a Gundam was on her way.

"Let's move!" Shinn growled.

"Eh!" Luna acknowledged.

"Ah!" Ray agreed. They flew into the middle of the fray.

As all of ZAFT was worrying about the battle, two idiots in the ORB chambers were watching the news. "Mah, I had a feeling." Yuuna threw his arms over the sofa he was sitting on. "ZAFT can say all they want, but the EAF has a huge amount of people and resources to use. They can't be taken out that easily."

"Ah." Unato grunted as he reached for the remote.

"They may have lost JOSH-A Alaska last time around, but Heaven's Base is still a stronghold. And even then, they still own the Moon, if HB ever falls."

"Unh."

"To be truthful, Dullindal's speech took me by surprise. But when the smoke clears, the EAF will have won!" Yuuna spoke calmly, with a sly smile on his face. We took the best road, ne Tou-san?"

"Ah." Unato rumbled again. "We can only hope that Dullindal gets killed in the midst of it all. If that happens it's all over."

Destiny was firing at a rapid pace, taking out the assaulting Windams closing in on him by piercing their cockpits one by one. "Kuso! Why you!" The buster cannon attached to Shinn's back released its locks and he put it into his hands, firing the red and blue beam straight into and through two Windams. "I'm not letting you get away with your heresy anymore!" With a quick tug by the arm to the right shoulder, Shinn pulled out the boomerang blade and whipped it forward, slicing up two more mobile suits with lightning speed. As half a Windam fell past him, Sting took notice of the new mobile suit in the sky and observed the boy making his shots as he drove straight through an attacking front of blue and white enemies.

"TEI!" Luna cried out as her rifle discharged. Her Impulse danced around the beams of her opponents as she took shots into them. "I can do it. I'll be like him!" One Euclid mobile armor whooshed in on the water's surface and fired its beam cannons at the girl. Destiny slid in front of her and spread its reflector shield, rendering the attack useless. Luna noticed and gasped too late. If Shinn hadn't been there, she would have been dead.

"Don't get careless, Lunamaria! Keep flying that way and you'll get shot down from below!" Shinn yelled at her. She winced under his chastisement, her hope of being similar dashed upon the rocks.

Sting's giant can opener turned into its mobile suit form. All four other Destroy pilots followed suit as they took up defensive positions on the rocks around the base. Standing up to its full height, Sting's machine fired all four positron cannons, taking out Zakus, Babis, and Goufs in its path. Another's hands launched into the sky, becoming two giant gunbarrels that set their sights on DINNs that did their best to shoot the hands down. Of course, they failed miserably as they disappeared into thick orange flames of explosions. Destiny and Legend touched back to back as they fired two more shots into the smaller mobile suits. "Shinn! Our main target has to be those things! Can you break through?"

"Ah!" A Destroy fired all of its hand beams into the sky, dashing apart mobile suits in horrid and very deadly ways. Shinn snarled. "Why you! KUSO!" Sting, not fully paying attention just laughed on an open channel. "All of you are… All of you are also… EXTENDED!"

"HhhhaaaaAAAA!" Sting yelled in a voice that would hurt a normal person's throat as he lined up his rifle hands at Destiny and fired.

Shinn spread his beam shield just in time, and they bounced off harmlessly. "CHIKSHOU!" His mind became clear and cunning as his eyes turned to the pure red of his berserker self. With the flip of a switch, he whipped out the anti-ship sword on his back. Pointing it straight ahead, the wings spread to their fullest extent. Placing the sword over his shoulder, Shinn thrust forward, unzipping the sky with his monstrous speed. "Those people… the ones who do such evil… LOGOS!" Sting's Destroy fired its positron cannons once again, followed by the hand beams. Destiny used the capability that only it could do, dodge horizontally. With expert precision, the energy never touched him. "IT'S UNFORGIVEABLE!" With one swing, nearly half of the Destroy's saucer section was taken off, including one arm. "The world is in shambles because you exist!" He closed in from the opposite side, charging his palm cannon and clamping it directly onto Destroy's forehead, sending its ugly face into oblivion.

"Shinn…." On Minerva, everyone looked on in amazement as Talia spoke. Unnoticed, Dullindal smiled almost knowingly.

"Sugoi! He's turned amazing again, that Shinn! Captain!" Arthur nearly jumped out of his chair as he rejoiced.

"They're giving it their all." Dullindal responded. "Let's reorganize to support them."

"Hai!"

Luna swooped in and cut up an unsuspecting Windam. With a quick midair u-turn, another was filleted. "We'll clear a path. All mobile suits, form up on me!" What was left of the ZAFT mobile suits slid into line behind her. The first amphibious ZAFT troops jumped onto land. One ZnO extended its arms and smashed into two tanks upon its landing. A GhOON fired its missile arms upon landing, but the effort was short lived as it soon was shot down.

A Destroy, still in its mobile armor form attempted to advance on the troops. Its flying hands fired into the sky, Ray sliding free of them with his reflector shield. "Tch! I won't be defeated by that!" Legend pulled out a double-edged beam saber and quickly split both gunbarrels in one pass. Under the sea, the battle was being waged, with missiles firing from GhOONs left and right. A ZnO transformed from its mobile armor state and fired both of its close range beam weapons in its claws into a Forbidden Blue before the energy had a chance to dissipate. A Euclid took a hit from the side and exploded. If it weren't for the Destroys, ZAFT would have had the advantage.

In the Heaven's Base control room, things were in a panic. "Second defense line, breach imminent!"

"Enemy mobile suits are invading the bay!"

"Argh! Just what are those three units? Get the Destroy's back into position! Target those three mobile suits!"

"We just lost Unit-02!"

"Nani?" The flaming black and red wreckage slowly began to sink into the depths of hell, where it belonged, while a certain gray Gundam looked at it from above.

Shinn's speed was nearly supersonic as the afterimages flowed from Destiny. None of the energy weapons fired by the Destroys could even touch him now. He saw his opening and sliced his sword straight down actually cutting the mobile fortress in half.

Another demon in mobile armor form was moving across the land. Luna decided it was her turn to shine as she began to close in. A communication window opened up before she got close. "Lunamaria!" It was Shinn. "Switch to Sword Silhouette!"

"Eh?"

"Excalibur can win against it! Give one to Ray!"

"Understood!" She said as the silhouette took to the sky.

The girl ejected the Force Silhouette and the Sword Silhouette clipped on in its place. The packs signal changed the armor to red, black, and white. Pulling an Excalibur from over Impulse's shoulder, she threw it at Legend, which quickly grabbed it, and activated it. DINNs and Babis started their bombing runs on the base itself as the Destroys were being distracted. More amphibious suits stomped forward, coming out of the water like mutated fish invaders. From over both shoulders, Luna pulled out her Flash Edge boomerangs and let them fly. Legend came up from below and sliced off one double positron cannon on the targeted Destroy as both boomerangs cut into the saucer section's armor. Impulse came down for the final cut with the second Excalibur. The devil's advocate was sent to the ground, and within moments it was enveloped in flames, and sent to the hell it belonged. "Way to go, Lunamaria!" Ray complimented her. "That kill goes to you!"

"Have you been forgetting? I also wear red, you know." She smiled back.

"Unit-03 has extensive damage!" An officer inside the base reported. As everyone began to react to the carnage, a certain man on the observation deck began to walk silently away, his black cat following him quickly.

Sting's headless Destroy fired its remaining three cannons, all of which Destiny took in its positron reflector as his thrusters fought against it and won. "Gwwwaaaaaahhhh!" Sting let out an insane battlecry.

"Deeeyaaaaaaahhh!" Shinn countered with his own as he finally broke free of the blast, propelling forward with his sword straight ahead. Destiny plunged the blade into the cockpit, crushing Sting against the back wall.

The green haired boy with blood in his helmet and metal in his body looked up and chuckled. "Heh, my papa will…." He was cut off as Shinn hit the throttle and tore the blade straight up the mobile suit. The Destroy exploded as it collapsed, shutting another gate to hell permanently.

"Unit-01, eliminated." The report came in.

"Djibril, now what are we going to do?" One of the troupe of Logos turned to where he was a moment before. "Hmm? Djibril?"

"Just what is all this?" The said man was turning tail and running as they spoke, as he boarded a submarine with his cat and took off as fast as possible.

Legend and the last Destroy clashed beam shield to beam shield as the EAF evacuated on foot below them. A deflected shot from Destroy hit the mass of people and eliminated a large portion of them. Gray and green ASSHU suits were making short work of destroying the buildings, landing on shore just moments before. Seeing that Ray was having trouble with this one, Shinn turned towards it, remembering his promise to fight anyone that opposed the Chairman.

"Incoming transmission from the Iwano squad." On Minerva, Burt decrypted a message. "Their HQ has been spotted with a white flag waving. The enemy no longer wishes to fight."

"Get that confirmed." Dullindal ordered.

"Sir!"

"Keep your guards up until all hostilities have ceased."

"Hai!"

"With this!" Shinn's rage throbbed through his veins as he went on the attack. "It'll be done once this is destroyed! Everything!" Shinn dodged a hand beam shot and took a diagonal cut upwards into the Destroy. While still recovering from the backlash, Legend made a second cut in the same fashion the opposite way. The final attack was Luna's as she came down from above, making a straight slice. With that last massive explosion, the demon was vanquished, and the fighting ceased.

Athrun woke up a second time on Kira's watch. Slightly more rested, but still severely damaged, he managed to speak, although very slowly. "I… how did…?"

"Kisaka-san found you. Really, we were all surprised. Cagalli just wouldn't stop crying. She was by your side the whole time. I even had to force her to let me take watch."

"Ugh!" He winced. "Meyrin…. How's she…?"

"It's okay. She'll recover. You shielded her from that finishing blow, didn't you? She's asleep, but she's doing better than you. When she wakes up, I'm sure she'll be glad to see some familiar faces."

Athrun smiled and closed his eyes for a second. They snapped open an instant later. "Adam! Is he… by her?" Kira looked away and paused. "Kira…."

"Nai. We couldn't find him or hail him after the blast. I don't think he survived."

A tear came to the injured teen's eye. "She wanted… so much… to… ACK! … see him."

"Ah. I know. She loved him. Iie. She'll always love him, even through death."

"Athrun!" The sound of a girl barged in and ran to his bedside. Cagalli looked into his eyes as Miriallia and Kisaka walked up to Kira and nodded to him. Her eyes began to tremble as her tears welled up once again. The girl's affection needed no words as she gently pushed a lock of hair out of his eyes. She braced her hands on her knees as tears dripped down from her face. "But why? Why did this have to happen?"

"I wanted… to see you…." Athrun's breath was weak. "Cagalli… and Kira…. Also to… bring Meyrin… back… to Adam. But my… power was…."

"Athrun!"

"The Chairman… he knew my… UNGH!" He winced in pain. "He…." He couldn't talk anymore without serious strain.

"No more today, Athrun." Kira told him. "Don't try to talk anymore."

"People are…."

"You can stop now. Just try to sleep some more. We'll talk more later, I promise."

Fllay dried her eyes as she stood. "Well, looks like that settles it. Probably ZAFT will get our resources after all." She moved to the door.

"You may want to put that on hold." Adam stared at the screen with clenched teeth.

"Hmm?"

"It's impossible. Coming back from that… it's impossible! Do you realize what just happened there? Those were DESTROYS!"

"What are you…?"

"I fought against one of those and it was nearly impossible to defeat! But those new suits… they're too strong! Something's up. Something is up and it doesn't feel right!" He got up and started pacing. "To take down that base is a feat in and of itself, but to come back from losing all of their drop troops, and breaking through 5 Destroys, it's too much! They've become far too powerful. And with Dullindal…. No, he shouldn't get anymore strength behind his forces." Adam walked to the door with a worried look on his face. When his shoulder just barely passed the girl's, he stopped. "I'm going back to my room to soak this all up, but I've got a bad gut feeling. Please, don't make any alliances yet, Fllay."

Hearing her name, she flinched as he walked away. She stared at his back. "'Who are you,' eh? I should be asking you that, Adam Cancho. Because you're the same as me." She whispered before she went on her way.

"Kira-kun…." Murrue said as she noticed him entering the bridge.

"How's Athrun doing?" Milly asked what everyone was wondering.

"He passed out again. But he'll recover."

"I see. I'm relieved."

"Unh." He nodded as he turned to the captain. "Any news on the battle?"

"We're not completely certain, but it looks as though the EAF lost."

"I see." It was the worst case scenario after all. "Just what has this world come to? Has the world…."

Three Gundams floated over the wreckage of the demons with their blades drawn, as if like Musketeers. As infantry invaded and searched the buildings, back on Minerva, Dullindal leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed, a coy smile on his face.

Chapter 27 Preview: Everyone has their own reasons. Everyone has their own story. Their reasons to fight are what keeps them from letting go. Their stories are ones they want to forget. As dark secrets are revealed, what is this new silhouette from the blackness of space? Next time on Old Friends Anew: Miracles in the Heavens. Come forth from your lover's embrace, Freedom!


	27. Old Friends Anew Ch 27

Old Friends Anew

Phase-27: Miracles in the Heavens

It was a place where no one wanted to be ever again. The floating wreckage of an abandoned space colony, not one of PLANT, but of other origin, just left there in the middle of an asteroid field. Once a hideout for the Three Ships Alliance, it was now a derelict that none of those three crews wished to visit again. It was L4, Colony Mendel.

This time it was more derelict than before. There were holes burned into the armor from the outside. Where once there was low gravity, now none existed. Inside the laboratory, the place where Mwu la Flaga learned exactly what Rau le Cruset was, and where Kira Yamato was born, a lone figure in a space suit searched the rooms with a flashlight. As the young man leafed through a book that was floating in front of him a moment before, something caught his eye, and he put it in the secure briefcase he brought with him.

The shuttle pod he used soon flew away from the colony as a little spec of light. He flipped up his visor and activated his com system. "Mom, Dad, can you here me? It's your disobedient son. Could you please forgive me and let me come home? I've got something to give you both."

After a moment of silence, the radio came back to life. "Understood. Come on home, DaCosta. We'll punish you later."

"Roger. Over and out." DaCosta turned off the radio and leaned back. "Well that was embarrassing. 'Disobedient son.' I'm over 20 you know!" As he relaxed, little did he know that a gray mobile suit with yellow trim was watching his shuttle from behind an asteroid.

"Damn it." Adam paced in his room. "This doesn't make sense. It took the cooperation of me, Shinn, and Sheridan to make even a dent in one of those Destroys, and then the only way to kill it was for Kira and I to risk our necks by plunging our sabers into the positron cannons before they fired." He grunted as he flopped onto the bed. "But now…" His mind's eye brought him flashes of the new models. "Just what kind of power do those things have that can take out five Destroys so easily?" On the other side of the door, a soft hand pressed silently against it.

"Lacus…." Watfeld called the girl on his intercom.

As she sat in the commander's chambers, working on her investigative work in the well hidden Eternal, she answered. "Hai."

"You spoke before that if Heaven's Base were overrun, sights would be set on ORB next, right?"

"Hai." She said quickly as she stopped her work. That's when it registered in her brain. "Do you mean to say…?"

"Ah. And much sooner than we thought. You might want to get up here." She was already on her way, and the elevator soon brought her to the bridge level, where she kicked off and went to her chair. "But why do you think ORB is next on the list? Dullindal keeps going on about taking out Logos, right?"

After a short pause she answered painfully. "ORB is strong, both in power… and in ideals…."

"Hmm?"

"In Chairman Dullindal's eyes, it's only a blockade to keep him from accomplishing his goals." She floated up to Andy's seat and accessed the computer terminal at his armrest.

"And just what goals is he trying to meet?"

"I'm not completely sure," she sighed as she stared at the Chairman's file, "but with each passing day I see it a little more clearly. Gichou is trying to make a world order that joins both Earth and PLANT, at least that's what it seems to be."

"Eh?"

Another file came up, the one of the ringleader that caused Junius 7 to fall. Only his picture and name existed. All other information was… deleted. "Was everything that has happened so far intended to start that path?"

Onboard the Minerva, watching over the burning ashes of Heaven's Base as the military searched and provided aid, another coffee can was crushed. "Eh? Djibril wasn't found?" Shinn grumbled in surprise.

"He wasn't…. No way!" Luna was also in disbelief.

"The current theory is that he escaped alone before the base surrendered itself to us." Ray informed the both of them. "He abandoned all four of the other Logos members contained inside the base."

"Tch! Damn it! Just where did that bastard get to?" Shinn squeezed the life out of his coffee can.

"I had a feeling this was not going to end so easily." Ray took a calm sip of his juice.

"You're wrong about that!" Shinn's coffee splashed everywhere. "When we find him, I'll turn him into bubble gum on Destiny's shoe!"

Ironically, the Chairman himself was on the same subject. "But he is still a major problem. Just what else could he possibly try to plan? His power is nearly all gone."

"Ah." Talia nodded solemnly.

"In any case, this will all be meaningless if we don't find him. Maybe Panama? Or Victoria possibly? Let's just hope he hasn't gone to some place that will make it a real pain in the ass to get him." The elevator doors opened up to a more populated hall, and the conversation ended.

It had been silent in Adam's room for a full five minutes. He didn't really want to think, but he had no choice. The military might of ZAFT now, and comparing that to that of the EAF and even ORB, was overwhelming. He couldn't shake the strange foreboding feeling either. It was as Kira had said. Something big was beginning to move, and for the first time, Adam could feel it.

A slight rapping on the door snapped him out of his thoughts. "Adam, it's me. May I come in?" It was Fllay.

"Sure. Why not? I could use a distraction right now." He rubbed his temples as he sat up. The door slid open and admitted the red-head. She turned the chair to face him and sat down in it. The boy blinked for a second. "You changed your hairstyle, didn't you?"

She nodded. "This was the way I wore my hair in the first war. I had almost forgotten how to do it."

Adam nodded. "But I'm surprised that you'd do that."

"Do what?"

"Fllay." Adam spoke quietly, and she winced. "See? Your past is really tearing you up, isn't it? Why would you want to revisit something like that?"

A long pause went between them. "It does hurt, quite a lot."

"Then why?"

"Because if I'm to tell you my story, as I know you're curious about, then I must bear the pain, all of it."

Kira, the Gundam-less pilot, stepped along the walkway around the hidden dock of the Archangel. As he surveyed the ship's damage from the outside, he heard someone's speech. "Please give that section the highest priority." It was Captain Ramius, going over a report Chief Engineer Murdock was giving her.

"Will do. So we'll go with that game plan." He returned. "I'll let you know if anything unexpected comes up."

"I know it's a bother, but please do so." The woman said as the engineer excused himself.

"Murrue-san." Kira came up to her.

"Auda? Oh, Kira-kun." She said as she turned around.

"Are the repairs going all right?"

They both looked at the ship's hull solemnly. "We took a really hard hit, so we're probably not going to be in working order any time soon." As the sound of arc welders and machinery reached their ears, she smiled at him. "But everyone's giving it their all."

"I see." The boy stared off into space.

"Hmm? Something wrong?"

"Eh?"

"You must be tired. No, I think it's a little more anxious than tired."

"Uh… iie, it's not that at all."

"It'll be fine, you know? I'm sure everyone's feeling the same." Her cheering up efforts weren't working on the solemn teen. "The Heaven's Base news has really brought it out."

"Unh." He let out a sigh through his nose. "I suppose I'm just scared is all… It's just… even Athrun wound up that damaged. I'm so clueless about so many things right now. And currently, I'm powerless to do anything." Kira looked down at his hands. "If things keep up, I'll not be able to protect even a fly."

"Pretty soon Lacus-san will be back. And I'm sure that when she does you'll be a bit happier. Ne? So cheer up a little and hang in there until she gets back!" She patted him on the back.

"Hai." Kira let a small smile emerge from his lips, and Murrue went back to her duties with a quick wave.

Adam and Fllay just stared at each other for what seemed like a rather long time. "So." Adam spoke first.

"So." She returned in the same tone.

"Are you going to tell this story or should I run and grab a cheese sandwich?"

"Sorry, it's just… hard to know where to begin. That and gathering up enough muster to actually tell it to another person, let alone one's self."

"Great, I feel like an idiot now. Sorry. Shouldn't have pushed you like that."

"No… no… no need to apologize. I was quiet for a long time after all."

The sound died down in the room once again. A minute later the orange haired teen spoke again. "So."

"So."

"We're gonna be here for a while, aren't we?"

"Yeah."

"Reports are now coming in that a number of people on the Logos list have been captured in the fall of Heaven's Base." In the Archangel's sickbay, Athrun lay back in his bed, while the other bed, containing Neo, was shuttered mostly closed as he watched the news reports. That didn't keep the audio from waking the boy though. He sighed when he heard the news. "Currently, the EAF and PLANT are cooperating in the creation of an international tribunal…."

The door opened, and a blonde girl stepped in. "So you're actually awake."

"And the six captured Logos members will…." Neo turned off his screen partly out of courtesy, and partly out of curiosity.

"You feeling any better?" Cagalli asked Athrun with a smile.

"Ah, a little. Though I feel I'd be of more use dead." He winced. "Sadly, it looks like I'll survive."

The girl took a seat next to him. "You can just cut that crap out right now. That won't make anyone happy."

"Sorry." He paused in a twinge of pain again. "Is Meyrin doing okay?"

"She's come down with a bit of a fever, but she'll be fine. Miriallia talked with her for a bit."

"Did she tell her about…"

"Adam? Ah. She did."

"I see. I hate to say it but she probably wants to die more now than me. That boy meant nearly everything to her. And since her sister and friends have been ripped away because of me, well…."

"Miriallia is smart when it comes to those things, Athrun. You know that. Ever since Tolle was ki…." The ORB Princess clamped her hands over her mouth.

"Killed at my hands? I know. She has been through a big loss. If anyone can pull Meyrin through this, she can." Athrun sighed. "I just wish it never had to happen in the first place."

"I would hate to see her go. She's like a part of the crew now."

"Ah. She saved me. Practically slapped some sense into me when she said that if I was to die there, that I should leave. She did that for me, even though we barely knew each other. I relied on her… got her involved in this damn mess…."

"Adam had quite an influence with her. She's a bit like him, I suppose. She'll do anything for her friends. And I know she considered you a friend. But don't worry about that anymore. That girl will make a full recovery."

"Arigato."

"And about that… thing… that happened in ORB when… well…."

"Uh?"

"Can you ever forgive me?" Cagalli lowered her head in shame.

"Don't you think I should be the one apologizing here? What Kira told me at Kurata… I…."

"But I… I… almost got married… without even saying a word to you." Her voice had gone down to a whisper.

The blue-haired Coordinator tipped his head to one side, and looked at her hands in her lap. She still wore the ring he had given her when they parted. "It was to protect it, wasn't it? ORB I mean." The answer took the girl off guard, not expecting him to understand it to that level. "I guess I was… impatient, I suppose."

"Eh?"

"I despised the situation, unable to do anything when you carried the burden of an entire country on your shoulders each and every day. I couldn't even do anything then… letting Junius-7 fall. I yearned to do something, anything. Really, I just wanted to stop it all, to keep war from erupting." He turned his head away from her.

"Athrun…." Cagalli sighed. Silently Neo matched hers. "I already know. But, it really is tough, ne?" Her voice cracked slightly.

"Cagalli?"

"It's what everyone says and wants, but it just won't happen. Is Logos truly the cause?" She paused to think for a little. "There might not be anything we can do."

"Iie. That's not the truth. I'm sure of it."

"Okay. I think I've finally found a way to start." Fllay looked up from her lap.

"Really? Then let's hear it." Adam sat up again from his spread position on his bed.

"Let's begin with what you already know about me, that way I won't have to be redundant."

Adam froze in place for a moment. "That's sly of you, making me go first like that. But I guess it's kind of expected in these conditions." The boy flopped back and pointed upwards. "First of all what I know isn't much, which might or might not be a good thing in this case. Second, let me know if anything gets to be too much for you and I'll stop. Deal?"

"Deal. It's not like I'd be able to keep it from you forever anyway."

"Okay, what I know is this…. You are Fllay Alster, daughter of the Prime Minister of the Atlantic Federation in the year C.E. 70. He was killed when a battleship he was being transported on was shot down by ZAFT Gundams. According to Miriallia-san, you were very close to Kira-sama, and you were killed some time near the end of the first war. The first time I had heard you were dead was seeing your name on a memorial inside Archangel."

"Yep, that's about right." She gripped her chest tightly. "After I saw my father's ship blow to smithereens, I was never the same girl. And for the record, I was 'killed' during the very last major battle of the war, at Jackin Due." The redhead panted. "This is… really a lot harder than I thought it would be."

"It's not like we're going anywhere. Take your time. If you want, I'll switch places and you can lie on the bed and relax while I take the chair."

"It's sweet of you to offer, but that would make it feel like I'm in the office of a shrink, you know? Just give me a few more minutes, and I'll start in."

"Okay, but could you tell me where the kitchen is? I hear some cheese calling my name."

DaCosta's shuttle had docked with the camouflaged Eternal, and he immediately went up to the bridge to meet with Lacus and Andrew. "I have to admit, I'm totally confused on this one." He said as he placed the suitcase on the map table. "The colony had little to no atmosphere left, and the innards were completely in ruins." He opened it up. "Not only that, but all the data and machinery in the genetics lab had been cleaned out." Both of the senior officers were taken by this comment as DaCosta pulled out a journal. "This is all I could get."

"Another dead end?" Lacus's head fell in disappointment.

"Not necessarily. In here, I found this." The man leafed through the pages until he found one in red ink. "My thinking is that this belonged to one of his coworkers or something like that."

"Hmm?" Watfeld leaned in closer. " 'Dullindal's speech of the "Destiny Plan" appears at first glance to be helpful to our time, but there are things we shouldn't forget. People don't live for the world's sake. Wherever people live, that is known as the world.'"

"This might just be the clue we were looking for!" Lacus whispered.

"Destiny Plan?" The tension of the room reached even higher levels as an alert came up from one of their remote security stations. "What the hell?" Its camera came up on the main screen. The same gray and yellow mobile suit fired at the camera and took it out.

"A long range reconnaissance GINN?" DaCosta blinked.

"Tch! You got tailed, DaCosta!" Watfeld was miffed.

"Eh?"

"We'll pursue it right away! Prep my Gaia!" Watfeld went for the elevator.

"Wait! Hold on, please!" Lacus stopped him. "It's too late anyway. Since he followed us would indicate that his mothership isn't too far off." Andy growled, knowing she was right. "Mendel was probably being monitored. I wasn't cautious enough."

"No, that's not…." DaCosta tried to counter Lacus's self blame. That is… until Watfeld put him in a headlock with his mechanical arm.

"Ah, that's right. The careless one is right here! But just what are we going to do? The factory hasn't finished the tweaks to those three units yet. If it gets attacked, protecting it will be a major difficulty."

"Let's depart, Watfeld-daichou. Right away!"

"Nani?"

"No way! If we did that, we'd be discovered in a flash!" DaCosta struggled to speak from the vicegrip of his commander.

"It doesn't matter now. Since that's the case, we must take the ship out and gain favorable ground to tilt our chances a little more our way."

"But currently, this ship can't match even a Nazca-class in firepower!" Watfeld increased his clamping grip. "Even if we're cornered like a wild animal, we won't have a prayer!"

"I never said I intended to win. My goal is to protect." Lacus held the notebook to her chest. "The units in that factory… and the people that graciously gave us their strength. And this one clue in my hands." The two men just stared at her, not knowing what to say as she floated towards her chair. "If we disembark now, ZAFT will pursue us, and not go after the factory, correct? We'll buy them some time to finish and hide. If we have no other choice, we'll head into reentry orbit and jettison those two and this data towards Archangel!"

Andrew let out a huff through his nose for a second. "Yosh! I get it."

"Commander… can't breathe!" The redhead under his arm gasped.

"Whoops." He released the younger man and propelled himself towards his seat. "Eternal, begin launch preparations! Inform Terminal of the situation! I'll handle things with the factory!" He began typing away at the panel on his armrest.

The Alster beauty was rubbing her temples when Adam returned with a handful of sandwiches. "Sorry I took so long." The boy said.

She looked up slowly. "What's with all the food?"

"Oh this? I would have felt guilty eating alone so I went and made some sandwiches for you too. Problem is, I didn't know what to make for you… so, I just made mood cheese sandwiches."

"Oh that's very thought fu… did you just say 'mood cheese sandwiches?'"

"That I did."

"What the hell is a mood cheese sandwich?"

"Munster – for when you have a bad hair day."

Fllay blinked. "I don't get it."

"You know, when you wake up and your hair is all frazzled, and you look like a monster. Monster, munster, get it?"

"Oh." She rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, I've also got Gouda, for when you're in a gooda mooda. And Provolone… well that's rather self explanatory isn't it?" Adam lined up the sandwiches on the wardrobe. The girl in his company covered her mouth and let out a small giggle. "I've got Brie for when you're in a Pokemon mood. Mozzarella, that's for me, a nice fella. Colby for those hot days. Monterey Jack… I don't really know what that's for, you can figure that one out."

The girl's hands fell as she broke into a laugh. "I can't believe you made that many cheese sandwiches!"

"Well it's all they had."

Miss Alster wiped the corners of her eyes. "Thank you, Adam. I feel better now. If you don't die in this war, you should be a stand up comedian."

"I'll keep that in mind. And I'm glad I could help. Now, go ahead and eat up."

She sweatdropped. "Wait, you were serious about the sandwiches?"

"Come on." Adam picked up his mozzarella. "This is LUNCH we're talking about!" He took a massive bite.

"After the Eternal launches, the factory will begin silent mode procedures." The PA in the mobile suit hangar echoed.

"Midou! Thank you!" Pink-chan flapped around the bridge, enjoying the zero gravity once again.

"Power flow, nominal. FCS, online."

"Increasing propulsion flow, launch power levels reached!"

Andy barked the first order. "Jettison the camouflage!" As the ship pushed forward the rock surrounding it began to shake off.

"Eternal, hashin shimasu!" Lacus gave the final word as her pink flagship went to full burn.

"Kira-kun! Get up to the bridge right away!" The PA system echoed Murrue's voice through the entire ship. He was doing maintenance on Strike Rouge's OS. "Terminal has given us news that Eternal is launching!" Kira's eyes widened in fear. "ZAFT's found them!"

As the access elevator lowered from the Gundam, Kira jumped over the rail and hit the ground running. "Lacus!"

Athrun attempted to sit up, but still in major pain. "Eternal? That can't be…."

"Tch! That thing is damn fast!" A Nazca class picked up the Eternal on its scanners. "But I never thought they'd use the Eternal. How could the crew be manipulated so easily?"

The captain sighed. "Never did I think I'd see the ship that was in the middle of the quagmire of the last war in such a location. Where are the Caernafon and Holst?"

"Sir! They are at Green-22, Charlie and Indigo-8, Alpha respectively."

"Yosh! Box them in! Launch the mobile suits! We're not going to let terrorists get away now that you've been found!"

Two plates contained nothing but crumbs before either Adam or Fllay spoke again. "You're right, that was good." The girl swallowed her last bite. "And I also think I'm well enough to start in again."

"You sure?" Adam took up another sandwich. "There's no need to rush."

The red-head nodded. "I suppose it all started at JOSH-A Alaska. At that time I was captured by ZAFT's Rau le Cruset. He used me to whatever suited his purposes, basically making me his personal slave. I was powerless to do anything, an EAF enlistee surrounded by ZAFT personnel. I knew he despised me, even though his mask didn't show that much emotion. At one point, he handed me a disk and jettisoned me in a life pod. He told me it held the key to ending the war, but it turns out it was what escalated it to genocide levels. The Dominion, and Archangel class ship had pulled me in. I found out it was captained by my old crewmate on the Archangel, Natarle Badgiruel. It turns out that the Archangel had become rebels, and marked as traitors. Dominion was commissioned to hunt down that ship and its mobile suits, with three mobile suits commanded by Muruta Azrael." Her voice was dripping with poison at his name.

"Azrael! The leader of Blue Cosmos? That Azrael? God, I was in a laboratory that was run by him. Three of the Extended were released into his custody."

"Those three Extended were the pilots of the mobile suits on Dominion."

"Shit, you were in a bad spot."

Speaking of bad spots. "Two Nazca-class have been spotted at Green and Indigo! Zakus and Goufs are on an intercept course!"

"Kuso!" Watfeld hissed. "Lose them! Lower pitch by 15!"

In the cold blackness of space, the Eternal was about to be shown hell, as Zakus and Goufs closed in on it from three directions. A Phantom launched all of its readied missiles at the ship. "Missiles incoming!" DaCosta yelled.

"Shoot them down! 10 degrees starboard! Decrease angle 20 degrees!" Watfeld shot back. The Eternal's anti-missile missiles fired from the rear launchers and tagged the incoming ones almost like Missile Command. A Gunner Warrior shot its buster towards the ship. It just barely missed the portside of the ship as it rolled away. "Keep the mobile suits at a distance! Aerial defenses online!" The CWIS guns peppered the vacuum with hot pellets."

Two Nazcas closed in a pincer move, firing their cannons at the pink flagship. The Eternal barrel rolled away and returned fire with the METEOR packs latched to the ship, while the anti-air fire still spat from the guns. More missiles came in, and in a rare sight, one of the Zakus tossed an exploding canister at the ship. It exploded in their faces. As the same Zaku closed, the main cannon shot a shell into it, blowing it to smithereens as it passed the bridge. "Forgive us." Lacus whispered, and said a silent prayer for the dead pilot.

"Kuso! This isn't working! I'm heading out!" Watfeld shoved off from his seat and headed for the elevator.

"Daicho!" DaCosta called to him.

"I'll get those annoying flies off our back! Just concentrate on putting some distance between us and them!" Andy pointed forward, not letting the elevator doors close. "You catch that, DaCosta? Keep the engine from getting hit!" His hand lifted and the door closed.

"Hai!"

Kira burst onto the bridge in a panic. "Murrue-san!"

"Kira-kun! We don't know how many are chasing it, but if they can't win, they'll try to drop their cargo pod down to us."

"Eh?"

"Cargo pod?" Cagalli stood by her brother.

Athrun tried to sit up again, failing miserably. "Oi!" Neo spoke to him. "What are you going to do in your condition?"

"'If they can't win?' Lacus!" Kira's mind was racing.

"Oi!" Neo's voice reached the bridge after a video window opened up. "Dunno why, but my roommate has been all riled up for a while and it's getting on my nerves. All he says is 'Kira, just go!'"

"Uh? Athrun?"

"Lacus needs to survive… no matter what!" Athrun gripped his chest hard. "Kira!"

"'If you lose her, that's the end for us all.'" Neo added his own emphasis to the translation.

Kira made a fist and turned towards his dear sister. "Cagalli! Sorry, but I'm taking the Rouge! That and the Booster!" He dove for the elevator.

"Uh? Kira!"

"Kira-kun!"

"Arigato, Athrun!" He said before the door closed.

Murrue turned back to the viewscreen. "So you remembered the transmission code for the bridge."

"Eh?" He was taken off guard as the woman shut off the connection.

"Everyone, support Kira-kun! Engineering, get everyone over to the launch pad! Navigation, get Eternal's entry vector and plot an intercepting launch vector! Communications, monitor all ZAFT and Terminal bands for any news! Cagalli, if he scratches your suit, don't get angry."

"Arigato." Athrun whispered. "Major Flaga."

"Agh, you too? Why's everyone calling me that? I'm Neo Lorrnoke, Co-lo-nel Lo-rr-noke!"

"Eh?" Athrun stared at the man in disbelief.

The red-haired girl clutched her chest once more. "Sorry, but could you give me a second? I've got to collect myself again."

"Sure, it's okay. Don't burn yourself out." Adam waved her off. "Sandwich?"

"I'm sorry this is taking so long, but…."

"Though I can't say I know what you've been through, I knew from the very first time I met you that you were in constant agony. I'm actually feeling rather guilty to make you go through this torture."

"Please don't. My own actions brought this upon me, and my own actions will atone for it. This is just another… hurdle; I suppose would be the right word."

"Just let me know when you are ready to go again, and I'll listen."

Kira was rapidly reprogramming the Rouge as the Strike Booster was placed around him. "What do you want the output and other specs to be?" Murdock called from the outside. The massive booster encased around Strike Rouge's legs, and the Aile pack had to fold its engines up to fit in. The retro rockets themselves trailed behind the mobile suit for about the length of three Strikes.

"All of Strike's data!"

"Will do!"

Kira booted up the system, and raised an eyebrow at the OS checklist, which had "Sexcam" on it three times. "What has Cagalli been doing in this thing? On second thought, I don't wanna know. Murdock-san!"

That was the gruff man's cue. "Everyone scatter!" All the engineers began to run for shelter as the Strike started to rise up to the hidden runway.

A rock façade slid out and up from the cliff above the Archangel's underwater base. Ten blast shields closed up behind the booster as Strike made it to the runway. Murrue spoke to Kira in a rush. "Did you receive Eternal's descent data? It's already gone down quite a lot."

"Hai!" Kira answered. "I can handle it!"

Miriallia was already on the com. "Course is clear. System, all green. Strike Booster, launch! Dozo!"

The four engines of the retro rockets fired. "Ikkimas!" Kira yelled over the roar of them and released the brakes. As the long tunnel got shorter very quickly, the boy hit the Phase Shift button, and the coating activated in very nostalgic colors. The red, blue, and white of his original mobile suit, Strike had returned to the battlefield! Like a bat out of hell, the mobile suit/rocket combo took to the skies, leaving a massive smoke trail in its wake.

"Okay, here we go again. I think I should be able to tell more this time."

"Forgive me for sounding anxious, but all right, let's hear it." Adam righted himself again.

"Well I already told you that Natarle Badgiruel and the Dominion pulled me in. They even gave me a position on the bridge as communications officer. During the battle of Jackin Due, we went into battle against the Archangel during the pure chaos of the three sided war. Not only that, but Genesis had just fired, and the Earth forces lost half its troops…."

* * *

Azrael pressed a button on the communication's screen and ripped Fllay's earpiece away from her as he leaned over her console. The EAF's commanding general answered him. "Azrael-sama." 

"Send out the nuclear forces! Target the PLANT colonies!" He yelled into the microphone. Fllay pushed back against her seat as far as she could to get away from that man.

**I've seen Azrael's profile and photo. He didn't really look that threatening to me.**

_You never saw him enraged before. Count your blessings._

Badgiruel stood up. "Azrael!"

"Those detestable hourglasses… make sure none of them are left floating! I'm sending those three as escorts."

"Yokhai." The general said and the transmission ended. Azrael tossed the earpiece onto Fllay's chest.

**Well at least it…**

_Say one word about my bustline and you'll be in chains again. It was an unlucky time to have a growth spurt, okay?_

**Shutting up.**

"But that won't do anything to the danger the Earth is in right now." The captain shot back. "That weapon needs to be…."

"That's enough of you!" The blonde man reached into his jacket pocket. "Why is it you are so annoying all the time? Huh?" He leveled a gun at the woman, about three feet away from Fllay's face.

**Un-shutting up. He actually was able to get a gun onboard a battleship bridge?**

_Now that you mention it, I don't know how he managed to do that, but at the time, I could only think of what would happen if that gun was pointed at a right angle, directly at me. I was completely frozen._

"And just what do you plan to do with that? Are you trying to commandeer my ship?"

"I don't care what you call it! I was the one giving your orders from the start! Why can't you just be good little soldiers and listen to them? Yet you're always objecting!" Fllay's eyes couldn't move from the black metal of the weapon.

One of the comm officers spoke. "Incoming from the Duritori. Peacemaker squad preparations are complete."

"Tell them to launch!" Azrael took his eyes of Natarle for a moment. "Where are Forbidden, Raider, and Calamity?"

"H..hai!"

"Even if they have that bastard of a weapon, if PLANT goes, they go too! The fight ends!" His crazed blue eyes locked back on the captain. "The important thing is that Coordinators are a threat to Earth's existence! We're up here to bring them down." Finally his words reached the girl who's lap the gun was over, and she thought of the Coordinators she had known.

"But that's…."

"Keep our losses minimal and do maximum damage to the enemy. That's what war is about!"

"Blue 117, Mark 52 Alpha, Archangel is approaching." The radar officer called out. "Distance: 9000."

"Well!" The Blue Cosmos leader's hand twitched. "If you know what's good for you, then start doing your job! That traitorous ship needs to be sunk this time for sure!" Fllay willed her head to move and she saw her old ship on the viewscreen.

**Okay, now I think I see why no one liked him.**

_He was a total maniac. A maniac with a gun. Like always I was only thinking of myself, and trying to survive. I did that ever since my father died._

"Don't let them hit the Duritori! Get in front of them!" The man hissed as the captain stared at the screen. "What the hell are you waiting for?"

"Captain…." The navigator begged.

"Fire! If you don't shoot, you're going to get shot!"

"Shit!" Natarle hissed as she sat back in her chair. "Booster to max! Rotate 20 degrees! Anti-beam packets, launch! Gottfrieds, take aim! TEI!" Both Archangel class ships fired their main cannons simultaneously. Archangel's starboard cannon and wing were hit, as was the Dominion's wing. The impact bounced Fllay around in her seat. The remaining cannon fired, giving cover to the missiles it launched from the rear, taking out one of Archangel's Valiants. Archangel's last Gottfried fired, blasting the Dominion's first main cannon to smithereens.

**-Whistle- Wow, that one was a doosey, wasn't it? How can you remember all that detail?**

_I didn't, really. My mind was racing in self-preservation mode, and I was completely scared. My nightmares helped to fill in the gaps._

Archangel fired a volley of missiles. "Lohengrin #2. TEI!" The Dominion's positron cannon opened up on the bottom of the legged ship, but the missiles got there first, and destroyed it.

On a sub-screen, Azrael watched the Duel destroy the Duritori's bridge. Everyone on the bridge finally realized what kind of situation they were in.

**What kind of situation was that?**

_The worst kind. We were in hell, and I kept thinking that this was the end._

The Archangel opened its docking hatch to let in a critically damaged strike. "Now! Utei!" Azrael yelled at the FCS officer. The captain turned to him, stunned. "Sink it and be quick about it! Lohengrin, take aim!" The officer had no choice but to obey.

_It really was the end. I knew I would die there, unable to do anything to prevent it. But… there were still people on that ship I loved. So I…._

"No don't! Stop this madness!" Fllay yelled into her earpiece. "Archangel, run quickly!"

"Why you!" Azrael snatched her arm and yanked her out of her seat. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" He pistolwhipped her, sending her flying, her back slamming into the viewscreen. The blonde leveled his gun at her this time.

**Oh shit.**

_Understatement of the century, Adam._

Badgiruel launched from her seat and pushed his arm away. A shot discharged from the gun, ricocheting four times before it stopped, nearly hitting the FCS officer. "What are you doing?"

"You too, bastard! What the hell are you trying to pull?" He grabbed her around the collar.

"All hands abandon ship!"

"BADGIRUEL!"

Everyone started to leave their stations and went for the elevator. "Appolly!" She called to the FCS officer. "Take care of her." She motioned to Fllay.

"Damn you bastards! Get back in your chairs!" Azrael was raving mad.

The captain pushed both of them out of the way of the evacuation. "Get moving! Go to Archangel!"

A shimmer of hope flashed across Fllay's pained face as the older woman nodded to her. The girl pushed off and was in the elevator.

_That was the last I would ever see of that great woman._

_

* * *

_

"Now I think I understand you a little better." Adam whispered. "That kind of chaos around, how old were you? 15?" Wheezing was his only answer. "Fllay?" The teen was hunched over in her chair, her eyes wide. "Fllay?" Each breath she took caught in her throat, and she attempted to take more at a rapid pace. "Fllay!" He went to her side. "Please just hang on!"

The catapult hatch on Eternal opened, and a single red and yellow mobile suit shot out into the maelstrom. "Eeehhh!" Andy grunted as he got a bead on an MS. With a quick shot blaster shot, one was down. His thrusters fired to sidestep two shots from below. About to go for a Gouf that was on a direct course for Eternal, a Zaku came up on Andy's blind side. Just in time, his alarms let him know and he pulled back to dodge the axe. His reciprocation could be stated in two words: head shot. He landed on the disabled suit and kicked off, flipping over into a very familiar BaCOE-like form, spreading its wingsabers and cutting a Gouf straight in half. That's right, Andrew Watfeld's new mobile suit was Gaia II: The Badass Version.

"A Gaia?" The second in command of the Nazca squadron commented. "To think a mobile suit like that would be on board…. Just what organization are they from?"

Eternal banked high to avoid a Tristan cannon blast. "Distance to the pod ejection point?" Lacus asked.

"About 20, no, 25 more until we're in range!" DaCosta answered from in front of her.

"Everyone do your best until we get there."

"Hai!"

A Gunner Zaku clipped the starboard side with a buster cannon blast. Trying to answer the attack, Gaia fired its back beams at it before transforming to MS again. The Zaku easily evaded. "Kuso!" A Gouf in range stretched out its whip and the end wrapped around his blaster. After a quick and futile effort by Andy to pull it free, electricity coursed through the whip, overloading the rifle. The explosion pushed Watfeld backwards as he shielded himself. "Yaaaghh!"

The Strike Booster was red hot as it breached the last few layers of the atmosphere. "Lacus! Please let me make it in time!"

Andy and the Gouf still continued to tango, as the enemy suit fired its gattling arm into Gaia's shield. Helpless while defending, two Zakus pulled out their axes and got ready on either side of the suit. A third Zaku rushed into the spot around Eternal that the CWIS couldn't cover. The shots it fired caused explosions and gave the ship a nice dent in its port side. From above, a Gunner aimed its buster directly at the bridge of the ship. Andy's proximity alarm went off on his left side. "What the hell?" He saw a large mass approaching that looked like a mobile suit. The red, blue, and white suit fired three rifle blasts into the surrounding ZAFT suits, clearing himself a path. "Strike!"

Kira rocketed through the assembly of suits, and the booster jettisoned from the rest of the body. Strike stretched its legs out, and the Aile engines returned to their normal position. Whipping around quickly, he fired into and through the Gunner's buster, making sure it would never fire again. "Eh?" DaCosta was taken by surprise as well.

A Gouf and a Zaku were next on Strike's disabled list. "Kira!" Lacus smiled as her heart jumped.

"Lacus!" His communications were slightly staticy because of the battle. "Watfeld-san!"

"Kira! It is you!" The pink-haired pop star, the real one, nearly squealed in delight.

"You…!" Andy was about to say something about leaving Lacus in his hands, but he was a bit busy.

"I apologize, but worry got the best of me!" He responded.

Goufs and Zakus rained down energy blasts and bullets onto the new enemy. Kira banked and rolled, blocking with the still Strike Rouge colored shield. Four shots in rapid succession disabled that many opponents. A Gunner came from below, leveling the cannon at the underbelly of the ship. The attack launched, and not a moment too soon, Strike and its shield got in the way. The shield detonated from the sheer power of the blast, taking the left arm with it, and another rifle took off the other arm, sending Kira's weapon flying… straight into Gaia's hands, which discharged directly into the Gunner Zaku that did the original damage. "Moron! Getting your suit disabled like that!" Watfeld said as he slid next to Strike. "Just hurry it up and board Eternal!"

"Eh?"

"You've got a present waiting for you in there, and I don't mean Lacus!"

"Uh… hai!" What was left of Strike started to gun its engines. His girlfriend quickly pushed off of the bridge and into the elevator.

"Emergency docking system activated!" DaCosta said as the lower hatch opened. As Strike was about to get in, a stray blast destroyed both of its legs. Two magnetic grapples latched onto the torso and pulled it in as fast as possible. With it safely inside, the hatch closed.

"Kira!" Lacus saw the damaged suit from the window.

"Lux!" The boy opened the cockpit and threw himself into the nearest airlock. When it pressurized, he yanked off his helmet and dove into the hall. The other door opened and the princess of pink dove in as well. They joined in a tight embrace as they swirled around the zero gravity environment. "Thank God you're okay!"

"Kira." She sighed happily.

"Here you are, right in front of me once again. You have no idea how happy that makes me."

"I do, Kira, for I feel the same." Their eyes met. Never was there such a look of love between two people such as these.

Sadly, Kira had to break the silence. "Can you take me to it?"

She winced, realizing the reunion would have to wait. "Come with me." She tugged him into the hall after he grabbed his helmet.

Out in space, Gaia's shield got hit by a red and blue beam while firing a green one at another enemy. "Rrrggghh!"

"Daicho!" DaCosta so the trouble straight away. "Agh!" He had his own problems as a Nazca clipped the portside aft with a Tristan blast.

"Lacus!" Kira shielded her from impacting the side of the ship. "We should hurry!"

"Hai." She agreed quickly.

The hangar door admitted the both of them. Kira gasped as he saw what awaited him, a brand new mobile suit with the very familiar shape of the one he lost. Though gray, it stood tall and proud, almost majestic in front of them. Lacus looked down, hesitant and regretful. "Arigato." Kira held her. "Using this, I'll be able to fight my way once again, in the battle I must fight again."

"Kira." She whispered, tears beginning to well.

He took her soft hands in his. "Wait for me, and I will return. After that, let's go home… to the people that love us."

"Hai." She nodded, trying to hold back her reluctant sobs.

Fllay was on the verge of hyperventilation as both hands went to her chest. Adam rushed back in with a paper bag, and gave it to her quickly. After a few moments of breathing in her own carbon dioxide, her body relaxed slightly. "Fllay, I'm calling this off. You've pushed yourself way too hard."

"No!" She blurted out quickly. "I'm… almost there! If I don't say it now, I may never be able to! Please let me finish!"

"Fllay…."

"I was running towards the hangar…."

* * *

"Do you really think the captain would self destruct the ship?" The radar officer ran with the group of bridge officers.

"Why else would she order us to abandon ship?" The navigator shot back as they turned a corner.

"You're both wrong!" Appolly returned to them both. "She doesn't want us to take any blame for the conflicting orders. You saw that Azrael's face. The man is completely insane! Fllay, you keeping up?"

"Unh!" She said softly as she jogged with the formation. To get to the pods, the shortest route was to go passed the outside windows. A gray mobile suit with multiple spines on its back slid past the plexiglass. Fllay covered her head and shrieked.

_That moment when I saw that suit, I knew who was in it, and I freaked._

**Was it that suit we saw on TV?**

_No, it was Providence, its predecessor._

"Fllay! Fllay, what's wrong?" Appolly went to her side.

"He's after me! That monster will… Cruset!" The girl shuddered as tears ran down her cheeks.

"Okay, just relax. You can tell me all about it when we're on the pod. We need to go, now!"

"I'm too scared!"

"You think you're the only one that's scared right now? I'm pissing my pants over here! Now come on! We'll get you to safety." He grabbed her wrist and yanked her up, dragging her along.

**Ouch, that must have hurt.**

_Appolly did have a strong grip. Still does, actually._

Once at the hangar, Appolly spoke to the entire bridge crew. "Okay, we'll take the shuttle and broadcast a civilian code. We'll head to the nearest friendly ship that isn't sinking. Let's board and launch!"

"Hey, what's this shuttle?" The radarman pointed at a black pod with blue trim.

"Oh, that must be Azrael's personal ride. Best leave it alone."

"Yeah, but look at the stats on this baby!"

"We don't have time for your little hobby, damn it! Get in one of the pods or you'll be sucked into space when we open up the bay doors!"

Fllay grabbed Appolly's wrists hard. "Space? Out there? We're going out there?" The man nodded. "No… I… I can't go out there! He's out there! He's after me! NO! I can't! He wants to kill me! He'll shoot me!"

"Fllay Alster, pull yourself together!"

"I won't go! I won't go! He'll kill me!" She shrieked.

**At least your stubbornness stays when you freak out.**

_I never thought I'd ever have to say this to you, but SHUT UP!_

To add to the chaos, the radarman spoke. "Whooee! This thing's even got Mirage Colloid installed! High class ride for a high class bastard, wouldn't you say!"

"Fllay, just cool off a bit… get in those pods… who gives a shit about that shut…. Wait did you just say 'Mirage Colloid?'"

"Sure did."

Appolly went silent for a moment before grabbing Fllay's shoulders. "Alster, look at me!" The girl stopped in her tracks and looked him in the eye. "The Captain ordered me to take care of you, and I intend to carry it out. I have a plan that can keep us out of danger, but you have to trust me! Okay?"

The girl wiped her eyes and nodded. "Unh."

"Okay, Bridge Crew, get into Azrael's shuttle. Chief," He asked the mechanic that was also in the hangar, getting his people into the pods. "Can you rig a pod to be flown by remote control really quickly?"

"Well sure, but why…."

"We've got an escape to make. Set the last pod up to fly exactly like Azrael's shuttle."

"Gotcha!"

* * *

Fllay gulped hard as she poured a glass of water for herself and gulped it down. Adam looked away. "Are you some kind of masochist?" He whispered. "Enough already!"

"Adam, please don't object."

"How can I not? You're killing yourself because of what happened in the past! Why are you…?"

"Because I used him!" The glass shattered in her hands. Both fell silent as tears dripped on the cuts that now marred her soft palms. "I slept with Kira and used him as my personal shield, manipulating him just so I could survive! When I realized it… when I realized it…."

Adam got up and grabbed her wrists gingerly. "Now look what you did. You really are a masochist, you know that? Come on, we'll get you to medical and see if we can get you patched up."

He stood the girl up and she blinked at him when he stared into her eyes. "Adam… you…."

"Come on. The sooner we treat those wounds, the better. If we catch it quick enough, there won't be noticeable scars."

"Adam… just now you…."

"I misjudged you." He interrupted quietly as he tugged her down the hall, following the signs. He stopped for a moment and turned to her. "Once your hands are treated we'll head back and try to fix that other wound."

"Other wound?"

He tapped her heart lightly. "That one."

Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty

Mobile Suit Neo Operation System

Generation

Unsubdued

Nuclear

Drive

Assault

Module

Complex

Kira was typing on the keyboard of his new MS at lightning speed. He also spoke a mile a minute. "CPCsetupcomplete. Neurallinkageiondensity,normal. Meta-motorsectionparameters,updated. Nuclearreactor,criticaldrive. Powerflow,normal. System,allgreen." He completely updated the operating system and adjusted the settings to his liking in six seconds. "Strike Freedom, system activation!"

The Eternal's catapult hatch opened as the leading lanes extended. "X-20A, Strike Freedom, hashin dozo!" Lacus said from the bridge.

Breeeeeee. The checklist went off. "Kira Yamato, Freedom, ikkimas!"

Fllay came back into Adam's room, with him not too far behind. When they sat down, no one said anything. After a painful silence, Adam figured small talk would be best. "Looks like the glass has been cleaned up."

"The maids must have taken care of it while we were in the medical bay."

"How are the wounds? They still hurting?"

"Not really. That salve is doing its job." Fllay looked at the bandages.

Adam took a deep breath. "Who said I was talking about your hands?"

Fllay's eyes widened in surprise. Adam stared at her with an intensity of seriousness that she had to look away from. "Excruciating."

"Fllay, I'll continue to listen to your story, but I seriously don't want you pushing yourself. Quite honestly, you're scaring me. If this keeps up… well…."

"Thank you for your concern, Adam. Though it may not seem like it, the words are coming easier now. I think it's because of you being able to listen to me. I think I can go on with fewer problems now, thanks to you. It took a very short time for everything to be set in the hangar…."

* * *

All of the lifeboats were out except the last one and Azrael's shuttle. The bridge crew sat in the evil man's shuttle as the navigator fired it up. "Engine output, normal. Remote engine output, normal. We're ready to launch!" Fllay stared out the window at the pod beside her. She could see her reflection in the glass.

"Activating Mirage Colloid system." The radar officer pressed a button, and the shuttle became covered in a reflective coating.

"Both units now launching!" The navi hit the throttle and both shuttles' thrusters pushed them out of the bay. Azrael's shuttle quickly disappeared as it emerged into the blackness.

Appolly elbowed Fllay. "See? Now if anyone feels like shooting down shuttles, they'll hit a decoy and we can get away safely. No one is gonna hurt you, Fllay."

"Th… thank you…." She whispered, still shaky and still uncertain.

"The Dominion's Lohengrin is powering up!" The second com officer yelled.

"Archangel!" Fllay cried as the red and blue positron cannon lit up the blackness. A lone mobile suit took the attack full on, shielding the ship from harm in exchange for the pilot's life. The Archangel's Lohengrin extended from the ship's legs. They returned fire, vaporizing the Dominion's bridge. "Captain Badgiruel!" The girl barely squeaked out.

The Dominion went critical, and exploded. The navigator gritted his teeth. "Everyone hang on! This is gonna get rough!"

The shockwave hit both ships, sending them careening away from the battlefield, and away from the Archangel, where they wished to go.

_You're being very quiet, Adam._

**I didn't think I needed to say anything in this case.**

_I see. You're probably right._

"Is everyone still breathing?" Appolly asked after everything stabilized. Everyone groaned a reply in return. "What's our status?"

"We've been majorly blown off course, and it looks like maneuvering thrusters are out. Basically we have to fly in a straight line now until someone finds us or we hit something. On the bright side, the decoy is still with us."

"I've got radar contacts! Two mobile suits are going at it at a distance of 2000, and we're heading straight for them!"

"Can we stop the ship?" Appolly's eyes widened.

"We can turn the engine off, but we'll still drift. No maneuvering thrusters."

"Do it! We have to try and avoid getting in the crossfire. What kind of mobile suits are we talking about?"

"Unknown. One is listed as ZAFT, but I don't recognize the radar shadow. The other one is… is…."

"Kira!" Fllay squealed as she saw the mobile suit known as Freedom dodging attacks above them. She raced over to the comm station and spoke again. "Kira!"

"Fllay?" The radio responded in his voice.

"Tch, you again?" A voice that sent chills down the girl's spine also replied. She wanted to scream, but her voice died in her throat as she paled.

**Lemmie guess. Cruset?**

_Bingo._

"Damn it, Fllay!" Appolly cut off the radio quickly. "That was an open channel!"

He took her back to her seat and she shook as she looked out the window again. She saw Freedom's opponent for the first time, Providence. "No! He's going to… NO!" She shrieked.

True to her words, Providence leveled its rifle at them as its pilot smiled. Freedom rushed as fast as possible towards the shuttle with its hand outstretched as the beam fired from the rifle's barrel. "The target isn't the decoy! It's US!" The radar officer yelled.

Everything moved in slow motion to Fllay's eyes. Inch by inch Freedom moved, until it brought its shield to block and deflect the energy attack from both the seen and hidden ship. Fllay pressed her hands to the glass as she looked up at him. "Kira."

The boy had looked into the regular shuttle's window and saw her reflection. He smiled, knowing the girl he loved was safe. One of Providence's DRAGOON units slid above them and fired straight through the middle of the small ship. "Fllay!" The ship exploded, and rocked the hidden shuttle hard, jarring both Appolly and Fllay out of their seats. The last thing Kira saw of her was her lifeless expression from the window of the ship before it tore apart.

Appolly noticed the ship was careening in a direction away from the battle because of the shockwave. "Get engines to full! Ride the wave and get us out of here!"

"FLLLAAAAAYYYYY!" Kira cried just before the radio died.

* * *

"That was the last I ever heard from Kira." Fllay hung her head as her shoulders twitched with each sob. "But it will be forever etched in my mind."

"I don't understand. How could one last word mean so much?" Adam scratched his head.

"It was the cry when you see your most important person die in front of you. Adam, he loved me. That was a lover's mourning. Even after all I did to… to…." The girl fell forward, out of the chair and onto the carpet below.

"Fllay! My God, Fllay!" He shook her, but she didn't respond.

Strike Freedom spun twice as Phase Shift armor coated the machine in white, black, and blue. The new additions to the original Freedom blueprint became obvious. The joints were plated in gold. No longer did it have the over-the-shoulder beam cannons, and instead it held two beam rifles. On its hips were the railguns it originally had, but the beam sabers attached to it could be turned double if need be. The eight wings on its back each seemed to have strong sub-thrusters, and as a final touch, below the cockpit resided a large core cannon. Sparks seemed to fly from the engines as it gunned.

Two Zaku Phantoms fired their rifles, while a third launched all the missiles in its pods. Freedom put its wrist out front and spread a hidden feature, a positron reflector shield, rendering the rifle attacks useless. Kira slid away from the missiles, and shot them down expertly with his rifles. "Heh. Go get 'em, kid." Watfeld smiled as he broke up a small group of ZAFT suits.

Dodging another shot, Kira whipped out his beam saber while flying past two Zakus. They lost their heads. "Just what is that unit?" One of the Zaft redcoats thought out loud.

"Is that a new model?" Another one said. "Look at its speed!" As they both went in closer, one gasped and pulled back, firing the Gouf's gattling beams. "Freedom!" The shots were easily danced around by the angelic mobile suit, and it lost its arm.

Putting his saber away, Kira switched to rifles as he fired out at his sides twice, disabling four mobile suits. One Gouf within range wrapped its whip around the Gundam's right leg, while a second took its left arm. Kira glared at them and spread his wings. All eight of the blue halves of Strike Freedom's wings launched from the back of the suit and flew on their own. Before electricity could be pumped through the whips, the tips of the wings fired beams into the enemy mobile suits.

"GWAH!"

"This is…!" The pilots cried out. They were correct in their assumptions as Freedom was released from the whips. This mobile suit was equipped with a DRAGOON system.

The HiMat targeting console popped up in front of Kira, pinpointing the enemies in the immediate vicinity. Spreading all its weapons out, including eight DRAGOON beams, two beam rifles, two railguns, and a core cannon, Kira fired all at once. Each beam connected with at least one suit in the sky, but staying true to his strict policy against killing, no lives were lost.

"Two minutes?" The head Nazca-class commander was in complete and utter disbelief. "He dispatched with 25 Zakus and Goufs in only two minutes?" Guess what was next on Kira's list.

"The enemy mobile suit is incoming!"

"Eh? All weapons, fire! Shoot him down!" All three battleships fired as fast as the energy could reload. Rolling around each blast, Kira found a hole and unfolded the railguns. One ship lost its engine to the attack he sent.

Spreading Freedom's wings again, the DRAGOONs launched and hurtled towards them. A strange feeling twinged inside Kira's head. "Dancing blasts!" He yelled as he began to control all eight at once. Each target hit with precision, only destroying the engines and weapons on the ships.

"Thrusters heavily damaged! Navigation controls are unresponsive!"

"Holst and Caernafon are reporting the same thing!"

The commander sank in his chair. "No way! Impossible!"

Kira stopped and surveyed the damage. Watfeld slid in front of his ship. "Eternal, I'm coming in."

"Hai." DaCosta said quickly as Gaia headed for the landing bay.

The Coordinator child winced in heartfelt pain before he went back to Eternal. He hated doing that.

Fllay's eyes opened. "Wh…what happened?"

"You passed out." Adam said to her with a smiling face. He was the one sitting in the chair now, and she was on the bed. "You told the story and then you passed out. Sheesh, what a wuss."

"What did you say?" Fllay shot up. "You Coordinators just can't understand anything right can you? I mean serious…ly…." Adam was still smiling. The smile was addictive. Soon, for no apparent reason, Fllay started laughing. It wasn't a small giggle that she normally would do, but a hearty laugh. Adam's jaw nearly went through the floor. "What?"

"I've never heard you laugh like that before. It's good to hear."

"I… well…."

"Do you feel better now that you told me the story?"

"Actually… I do. I really do. I still hurt when I think about it, but it hurts a little less than before. I guess sharing it kind of let off some of the stress. Although I am really exhausted."

"Me too." Adam yawned. "Well, you just go rest here. I'll find your room and sleep in there. Fllay, it may be a miracle you're alive, but I'm really glad you are. Though you might not think it yourself, I think you deserve to live. You're really a kind person."

"Th…that's very sweet of you, Adam."

"Good night." He started to leave.

" 'I'll find your room and sleep in there'?" Fllay jumped up. "Hey, get back here you!"

Chapter 28 Preview: The hunt for Djibril is on, make no mistake about it. But what is Shinn's choice when Cagalli is the one in his way? And when one is powerless to stop the carnage, will the hilt offered freely be gripped by the Blue Knight? Next time on Old Friends Anew: The Gold and Sapphire Swords. Reflect the light of hope on those who need it, Akatsuki!


	28. Old Friends Anew Ch 28

Old Friends Anew

Phase-28: The Gold and Sapphire Swords

It was nighttime in Gibraltar. Hardly anyone stirred, except for one black haired boy. Shinn's dream was physically being manifested by his twitching as he sweated profusely. "HEEEAAAAHHH!" His dream self yelled his battlecry as his Destiny fired into the mass of evil mobile suits. A Destroy transformed into its mobile suit mode below him. "Those people… the ones who do such evil… LOGOS!" His mobile suit slid away from the weapons it fired as he closed in. "IT'S UNFORGIVEABLE!" Destiny melted around him, and when all the liquid had flown off, he found himself in Impulse, swiping into a Destroy's cockpit.

"NO!" Stellar shrieked. Shinn gasped when he heard her voice.

Freedom swooped down from above, drawing its beam saber. "Kuso! Stop this already!" Kira yelled at her.

Shinn swept his saber twice at the mobile suit. "You have no clue what's going on! In that suit…in that suit!" Shinn plunged his Excalibur into Freedom's torso.

"Shinn!" Athrun cried with his last breath. The boy looked again and he was back in Destiny, with the pierced Gouf falling down into the sea.

"Ath…run. Mey…rin."

"Shinn, if Adam were here, what would he want you to do?" The girl's bloodied face came to his eyes.

"Leave him out of this!" Shinn snarled. "He's been gone ever since Falcon blew up, and now you're using him as an excuse?"

"You're wrong, Shinn! He was with me! He was aboard the Archangel! He saved me! He was on that ship when it was shot down! The Minerva killed him!"

"Shinn!" Athrun begged. "Look at yourself! They're turning you into a puppet! They're only using you!"

"Shinn! Dullindal's been lying to us from the beginning! He's been fooling us from the start of the war, maybe even from before! I know Adam wouldn't want this to happen! Please, please listen!" Meyrin looked into his eyes.

"Shinn!"

"SHINN!"

"Shinn, Shinn!" Ray shook him and the boy's eyes snapped open.

He practically jumped into a sitting position, panting heavily. "Ray."

"You were having a nightmare. Are you okay now?"

"Ah… unh." The Destiny's pilot gripped his forehead. A towel flopped onto Shinn's head and a bottle of water was handed to him. "Arigato." He wiped himself down and took a drink. It took a while before he could speak again. "Athrun and Meyrin… I…"

"They went against us. They were traitors, Shinn." The blonde looked away. "There wasn't any alternative."

"I know that! Really, I do! It's just that…." His voice trailed into nothingness.

"So that's what your nightmare was about?" Shinn was surprised that he figured it out as he watched him get in his own bed. "I suppose I should have been the one to do it. Your kindness has overpowered you. It makes you weak. You won't be able to protect even a fly like that." Ray turned away and went to sleep.

Adam spilled out of his bed, landing flat on his face. As he pushed himself up, he raised his head. His eyes were glazed over, and exhibited massive shock. Tears started to flow from his eyes as he reached out with one hand. His mouth moved. "…u-sa…. K…n..." He collapsed, his hand still outstretched as he fell asleep once again.

Meyrin twitched in sobs as she curled up in the fetal position under her covers. "Adam." Another one of the many nights she cried herself to sleep was once again beginning.

The next morning…. "Oh my God! Adam!" Fllay was down on her knees, shaking the boy. "Adam, what happened? Adam!"

"Unh? I thought limestone would do the trick." The orange-haired boy flopped over, muttering in his sleep.

Fllay leaned down close to his face and talked in a sweet and sensual voice. "Oh Adam, it's time to wake up… BAKA!" She yelled the last word at the top of her lungs.

"BWAH!" Adam sat up in a flash. Well, he would have if he hadn't slammed foreheads with the girl above him. Adam was slammed back to the carpeting while Fllay landed on her rump. "Ow! Owowowow! And did I mention, ow?" He sat up very slowly, now rubbing the front and back of his head.

"Ow! Oh, ow!" Fllay was attempting to soothe her wounded anterior and posterior with her bandaged hands. "Mou! Adam, could you please be more careful next time?"

"Oh, not like I can actually control how I wake up! And who was the one screaming in my ear? I'm pretty sure it wasn't a bed bug!" He stuck his finger in his ear and tried to get rid of the ringing. "Huh?" The boy looked up. "Why's my bed up there? Wait, wrong question. Why am I down here?"

"That's what I was going to ask you. I found you on the floor, spread out like you were trying to grab onto something, but there wasn't anything in that direction. You really scared me there!" She pressed her hand to her heart to slow the beating.

"Really? I don't even remember it." Adam stood up and stretched. "Agh, damn it! Now I'm all stiff! I hate it when I sleep on the floor." He yawned and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "Oh, by the way, why are you here?"

"I had the chefs make that special salmon and eggs breakfast you went on a rave about again." The girl also stood up and dusted herself off. "I knew you wouldn't want to miss it, so I figured I'd wake you up and invite you to have breakfast with me. Of course, I didn't anticipate the pain in my head and ass."

"Well that was very thoughtful of you, Fllay. I'd be honored to eat with the kind hostess. Now I just need to find her." Adam said jokingly, and got rewarded a playful slap upside the head. Fllay squeaked in pain as the cuts in her hand shot signals through her nerves. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

He took one hand. "Careful. You don't want to reopen old wounds and do even more damage. Especially when they're just beginning to heal." He patted her on the shoulder. She stared at him in wonder as he went to the door. "You coming? I hear poached eggs calling our names."

A formal assembly was being held in the Gibraltar head office, as Shinn stood in front of the base commander. "In recognition for his services at the Battle for Heaven's Base, I bestow upon Shinn Asuka the Nebula Medal." The older man pinned the rare gift onto Shinn's status bar. Lunamaria and Ray smiled, their own medals gleaming as they watched their friend get his second medal. Everyone in the office applauded as Shinn saluted the commander. "Congratulations. I believe this is your second one, right? You should be very proud." He offered his hand.

"Arigato gozaimasu." Shinn took the extended hand and shook it.

At that point it was Dullindal's turn, as he took two small boxes from the hands of his assistant. "Also, I have something for Shinn Asuka and Ray za Burrel." Shinn turned towards the taller man as Ray stepped forward and lined up beside him.

They looked down inside the boxes only to see the white wing and golden eye that symbolized FAITH. "Gichou!" Shinn gasped in surprise.

"You won't accept it?"

"Iie! Of course I wouldn't! But…." He looked to his roommate for help, but he only smiled back.

"I give these to you as a reminder that we rely on both your strength." Dullindal said with a small grin. Talia narrowed her eyes to near slits as she watched the proceedings. "It is my desire that you pride yourself in your accomplishments and continue to earn these each day. Never betray this moment, and show us your power to its fullest extent."

"I'm honored sir." Ray finally spoke. "My best is what I shall give to you."

"I'll…" Shinn paused and switched to a more formal dialect. "I will also strive to my maximum potential, sir!" They took the pins as applause surrounded them.

Fllay and Adam ate facing each other in her private dinning room. Adam swallowed a bite and pointed his fork at the girl. "There's one thing I'm confused about from when you told me your story yesterday." Fllay stopped in the middle of sawing off a piece of biscuit with her knife. "If you'll permit me, may I ask a question?"

The red-haired beauty put down her silverware and rested her hands in her lap. "Go ahead. I'll try to answer it, though I'm not as prepared as I was yesterday."

"Well, the gap is from there to here. How did you get to this city in the mountains, with all these people serving under you?"

She blinked. "That was your question? I thought it would be something a little more painful than that." The teen relaxed a bit. "When I got back to Earth, I claimed my father's inheritance in secret. It was a rather large sum of money, especially since my mother's inheritance was also lumped into it, when she died before Papa. Using that money, I erased myself from existence. Fllay Alster was considered dead, but I still walked the streets as a phantom of her. Half of the remaining funds I invested into companies and stock markets that would double, if not triple the value put in. The rest I used to seclude myself here."

"I see. But why erase yourself? Wouldn't it be a joyous occasion to go and see your friends again, as someone who is alive and well? Especially Kira."

"Okay, that one hurts a lot more." She winced and held her arms. "There was a gap in time before I got back to Earth and claimed my inheritance. I have a lot of resources, so I was able to keep tabs on my friends from afar. By the time I returned, Kira had found someone else, and someone far better than me."

"Lacus Clyne?" the fruit-haired teen spoke in a low tone.

"Yes." She whimpered. "But knowing how much I had damaged him in the past, I couldn't bring myself to go back into his life. He was better off with Lacus, and thinking that I was dead."

"But the others…."

"Miriallia had gone home to become a freelance photographer. Since Tolle was gone, it seemed she needed to run away from her grief. The last thing she needed was an old friend resurrected. As for Sai…."

"Sai?"

"Sai Argyle, he was my ex-boyfriend. When I first started manipulating Kira, I basically threw him aside. I really cut into his heart. I couldn't bear talking to him again, especially since I realized that I didn't truly love him."

"But Captain Ramius and the others…."

"I was an enlistee that did nothing but got in the way. No, I was only a bad memory to them, one with a strong racism against Coordinators. It was better if I was dead to them."

"You really have a low opinion of yourself, you know that?"

"Just shut up and eat." She stuffed a piece into her mouth.

"Hai, hai." He took a long swing of cranberry juice. "On the bright side, you've become a lot nicer to people like me, Coordinators I mean. If it weren't for you saving me in the first place, I would probably have frozen to death in the cold. Anyone who hates Coordinators would have either left me for dead or killed me. Though things got off to a bit of a rocky start between us, I was in chains after all, I'm honored to say that we've become friends, right?"

"Right… friends… um, yeah, definitely!" Her melancholy face cheered up for a quick second before it fell and sighed.

"Something wrong?"

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing." A knock came on the door. "Enter!"

"Hmm?" Fllay's second in command entered. "Oh, pardon me ma'am. I didn't realize you had company. I'll come back later."

"Oh please, Appolly, it's just breakfast banter. Come now, what is it?"

Adam's jaw stopped chewing. He swallowed hard before he pointed his finger shakily at the man. "You're Appolly? THAT Appolly?" He turned towards the girl and back again.

They both nodded, and the man spoke. "Think about it. If it hadn't been for this woman sitting across from you, I and many other people would be dead. We owe her our lives, and so we are here, serving and supporting her as our thanks." As Adam thought over that statement, the former Dominion FCS officer turned to his commander. "Anyway. We've gotten a report from our informant in Carpentaria about Djibril's location."

"Carpentaria? It's not from Gibraltar?"

"No ma'am."

"So? Finish the report."

"Well then." All three of the Minerva's pilots saluted Captain Gladys. "We shall take our leave with your permission." Luna said.

"Granted. And congratulations to you, Shinn."

"Thank you very much, ma'am." He put his hand down.

As they headed down the hall, Luna marveled. "That's really something, Shinn! A second medal, just like that!"

"Heh, of course!"

"Careful. Your head will get too big to fit through the door."

"Uh? Hey!"

Talia smiled at the joke as Dullindal came up behind her. "The atmosphere gets creepy when you stay silent, Talia." He whispered.

She shot him a glare. "I'll take my leave." As she began to exit, the authoritative man followed.

"Shinn and Ray being promoted to FAITH was something I thought you'd wish to speak up about."

"And you're saying this now?" She grumbled back quietly, but all he did was smile. "There are far too many things I'd like to voice, but most of them are unkind, so I'm wisely keeping my mouth shut. If you're not in the mind or mood to hear it all, then please leave me alone."

Gilbert sighed heavily. "Is that what you really think? That I don't want to hear them?"

"When it comes to when Athrun Zala and Meyrin Hawke were brought down… I am not satisfied with the reasons nor the results." Shinn, Luna, and Ray were waiting in front of the elevator patiently when the mood of the hall darkened as the two rounded the corner. Ray quietly pointed towards the stairs to avoid the obviously sensitive conversation. They nodded and started walking down.

"I know you're not, but…."

"Gichou!" One of his aides came up in a power walk.

"Now what?" He shot back.

"Lord Djibril has been found, sir." He said after he saluted. The three pilots overheard his voice and halted in midstep. "Carpentaria's Intelligence Division submitted the report."

"Carpentaria? Well? Where is he?"

Appolly and the ZAFT aide showed a picture to Adam, Fllay, and Dullindal respectively. It showed a photo of Djibril, shaking hands with Unato and Yuuna. "In ORB."

Adam's chair went flying back as he stood and stared at the image. Shinn went wide eyed and his breath caught in his throat. Fllay said it for all of them. "Damn it! Of all the places!"

"What did you say?" Cagalli's stunned voice echoed through the bridge. "Djibril is being hidden by the Seirans? Please tell me that's not true!"

"I'm sorry, but there's no doubt to the fact." Kisaka said from the video transmission. "Not only that, but ZAFT is already on the move." That admission left the entire bridge breathless. "An entire fleet is already on its way to Onogoro straight from Carpentaria."

"Unato… How could he…?"

An emergency meeting was held in Dullindal's Gibraltar office. "It goes without saying that we demand he be turned over. The Heaven's Base battle is his accountability, and he is guilty of multiple other crimes due to confessions from alternate sources. Those who harbor him do not deserve forgiveness!"

The base commander then took his turn in the briefing. "Even though Carpentaria has dispatched a fleet to back up our demands, we will remain on high alert just in case the worst case scenario comes to pass. We ask that the Minerva launch right away, as a vanguard to the Carpentarian fleet."

"Eh?" Gladys stepped through the mass of commanders. "My ship is leaving the base?"

"Negotiations may falter if we don't have any real punch backing it up. We need to show we're serious, and the Minerva is quite the fast ship."

Dullindal answered her death ray of a stare. "I apologize for sending you out into the quagmire after just beginning to rest from your endless string of battles, but we are all counting on you, Captain Gladys." Talia could see right through that lie though. He just wanted to get her out of his long black hair. "ORB is quite well-known for a number of reasons. Not only its advancements in technology, but the mass driver as well. The latter worries me the most. If Djibril gains ORB's strength, and rendezvous with the remaining Alliance on the Moon, PLANT may again be at risk. Let us not forget that the man IS the leader of Blue Cosmos."

As the other commanders started discussing it amongst themselves, Gladys asked the Chairman directly. "So you are saying that ORB will assist him?"

"Considering the fact that he is in ORB, and that it can't be the single solitary country that doesn't know about the manhunt, then the conclusion is valid!"

The generals and captains all started whispering. "ORB has joined Logos…"

"Tch! Blue Cosmos…"

"That also explains why they didn't respond to the Chairman's message."

Dullindal silenced them all as he stood up and went to the window. "ORB had been a friendly nation with strong bonds with us before the Break the World event. Looking back, you can't help but regret this. Even so," He turned around and addressed them firmly. "It would be too costly to back down now! Logos cannot be allowed to manipulate anyone any longer! This time for sure, let us bring him to justice!"

"Yes, sir!" Everyone in the room saluted.

"Adam? Aaahh!" Fllay shrieked as she ducked, a book flying over her head and splatting against the wall behind her. The boy stopped and panted hard, his arms limp at his sides. Fllay stood up after judging it to be safe. She surveyed his room. "Well, the maids are going to raise hell about this one." One bookshelf was completely flat on its face on the floor, footprints stamped into the backing. His bed was on its side, crushing the nightstand between it and the wall. The small book stand by the reading chair was in splinters. There were pieces of books everywhere. "I see a tornado named Adam Cancho ran through here. You know we have a gym and a punching bag if you wanted to blow off some steam."

"Sorry… I just… had to…." The boy's bright orange hair covered his eyes.

"Blow up? I could tell, considering you dashed out of breakfast without saying a word."

"You don't understand." He whispered. "You weren't there." He whipped around and grabbed her shoulders, saline drops streaming down his face. "I was there when the battle for Onogoro took place, Fllay! I saw everything slowly burned to the ground! And now ZAFT is going to torch it a second time!"

"Adam… you're hurting me…" Fllay squeaked.

It was only at that time he realized how hard he was digging his fingers into her arms. "I… I'm sorry. I just… I was just a kid! I couldn't do anything! And now… and now…." He couldn't finish the sentence as he went to the floor, holding his arms as his floodgates opened.

"Adam!" Fllay dropped to her knees and rested a hand on his back.

"It's the same! It's the fucking same!"

She smiled sadly as she brought his head to her chest and cradled him. "It's okay Adam. Just let it out. Let it all out." As he bawled out his sufferings into her, the irony was not lost on her as to the last time she was in this position, with Kira. But something drastic had changed between then and now, for now all she had were pure thoughts for the one she held.

"Hey, what's going on?" A Murasame pilot grumbled in the hangar.

"Yeah, why haven't we gotten the order to deploy yet?"

"They're right at the edge of the territorial waters, aren't they?"

The same discussion was happening on the Archangel as well. "Eh? The government still hasn't said anything?"

"Ah. Not only that, but the media is being pressured to keep shut."

"What's the Seiran's plan on this one?"

Murrue was talking in haste with Murdock. "How long will it take for all the work to be done?"

"Mmmm…. Engine, electrical, re-supply…. All of this would take two days with the current workforce."

That wasn't the answer she was hoping for. "Get as many people as you need to hurry it up. There would be no point for repairing it if we're too late."

"Yeah…. I know what you mean."

In sickbay, Athrun once again was on his way to becoming the world's most disobedient patient while struggling to sit up. This time it was a little different though, as Meyrin, recovered from her fever, walked through the door, dragging her IV unit with her. "Ac… egh… gah!" Another failed attempt by the teen landed him on his side.

"Athrun-san!" Meyrin quickly rolled to his side.

"Oi, oi!" Neo sat up. "Why struggle when you've got such severe injuries? Why don't you just relax and go to sleep?"

"But I…"

Meyrin turned away quickly. "What have I done to him?" She mouthed to herself. It was the first time she had seen him after they were shot down.

"Cagalli-sama!" Amagi raced down the corridor to catch her.

"I already know. 'We don't know that things will wind up being a fight, so don't start acting foolish. At least wait to see Unato's move.' That's what you were going to say, right?"

"Yes, and for Colonel Kisaka to return."

"I know, damn it! But…." She bit her lip as she tried to keep her emotions in check.

In the Seiran's personal mansion, Unato was in a private meeting with the man with the price on his head, himself. "Well, anyone who isn't a complete dunce will be able to call the bluff of that Dullindal's deceptions." Djibril got comfy in one of the luxurious sofas.

"True."

"If the world comes under his rule, you won't have a single place to belong." The ever frank man told it like he saw it. "But you don't have to worry. The counterattack will start shortly."

"Hmm?"

"Once he ascends to the stars again, I'll also rise and play the requiem, and everything will end."

"Requiem?"

"Now if you want to live to survive that time, think about what needs to be done now. That should be quite obvious to a man as smart as yourself, Unato Ema." Djibril's smile made the older man uneasy.

"ORB is issuing their response to ZAFT's demands!" Appolly burst into Adam's room, where Fllay still held him to her breast, though the tears had stopped. Both of there eyes snapped wide open, and the older man took a step back. "Um… awkward moment?" Without saying a word they sped past him to the living area, where the speech was tuned in. The Archangel and Minerva crews also tuned in, as well as Dullindal himself, of course.

Yuuna's annoying voice echoed through the speakers. "The ORB leaders have requested I speak for them in response to your notice. The man of which you are seeking, Lord Djibril, is not in our country."

"Yuuna!" Cagalli shouted at the screen.

"Eh? What's he tal…." Arthur sputtered.

"Just shut up, would you?" Talia snapped at him.

"I knew he was a bastard, but this just takes the cake!" Adam slammed his fist into his palm.

"Also, attempting to intimidate by a display of military force is a large insult to our nation's dignity as a sovereign state. Thus, we find such actions deplorable. As such, we request that your forces leave our border at once." The calm man ended his speech.

"Those types of words…." Cagalli quivered in rage. "Do you really think that words like that would change anything in this situation?" She roared.

Dullindal stood. "Well, that gets rid of all other options, doesn't it? We have no reason to participate in such a farce. If they respond to our expectations with nothing but lies, then I stand against them with justice and a burning desire for peace as my defense! Lord Djibril shall be dragged out by the scruff of his neck!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Adam, are you okay?" Fllay rubbed his back.

"No I'm not okay! I just don't get it! Has everything I've done up to this point been a waste? I piloted Falcon so I could end the war and give my parents a better world… but did I really do anything? Look at where I am now! I'm on the sidelines again as I watch another fleet of ships attack my homeland!"

"But Adam, look at what it has brought you! You're here, safe, with me. Nothing can harm you here."

He got up and paced like a madman. "And what about all those people that are going to die over there? They're not safe. God! I just want to do something to help! I can't just sit around! I did that last time and I felt absolutely powerless!"

Fllay rubbed her hands together ever so slightly. " 'If I say I can do nothing, and then do nothing, then I really can't do anything at all.'"

"Huh?"

"That's something I was told from a young love a long time ago. I'll always remember it." It was Kira Yamato's statement she quoted. She stood up and stopped in front of Adam. "I even remember what I said to him after that. 'Then let my feelings protect you.'"

"I really don't get it."

"You will. Come, I have something to show you." She grabbed his wrist and started pulling.

Within moments of Dullindal's speech to his Cabinet, the alarms on all the ships at the edge of ORB waters blared. "Operation Fury, go for commencement. Condition Red announced! Condition Red announced!"

The command ship of the operation was the St. Helens, like most submarines of ZAFT origins, it was named after a volcano. It contained the very center for communication and strategy. "Bombardment locations aquired. ORB mainland: Seiran household, National Defense Headquarters, ORB Administration Offices."

"Pajon squad, ASSHUs, Eel squad, GOOhNs, prepped for launch."

"Attention all units, all weapons free!"

The commander picked up the microphone and gave a pep talk to all the troops. "Okay people, listen up! Our target may be Lord Djibril, don't hold back on ORB's current administration now that they've allied with Logos. Eradicate or capture them. That being said, we don't want any civilians getting caught up in this, so make sure your hits are precise. That's all. First wave squads, launch!" ASSHU and GOOhNs propelled out of the submarines. Goufs and Babis were shot into the sky from their carriers. All of their electronic eyes set their cycloptic sights on the island nation.

"I've got enemy contacts!" Miriallia bellowed. "They're all launching from the ZAFT fleet!" Murrue and Cagalli quickly turned to her. "ASSHU, GOOhN, DINN, Babi, Gouf, in varying amounts!"

"What about the ORB military?" To say Cagalli was worried would be an understatement. "What's they're defensive plan? What about the evacuation status?"

"They've yet to make any move." Milly reluctantly replied. Cagalli took a full step back. "I haven't received any evacuation notices either. If that's not bad enough, I doubt even if the populous knows about the fleet by Onogoro."

"Cagalli-sama…" Amagi turned to her quickly.

"Okay, um, Fllay. Yoohoo, Fllay?" Adam flailed around with his free hand and one leg as he hopped on another to keep his balance.

"Hmm? What is it?" She looked back, cracking a smile at his performance.

"You're pulling a bit hard you know. Like remove-ball-joint-from-socket hard. Can't I just follow you like a normal person?"

"Hmm? Oh, sorry. I hadn't realized." She released his hand quickly. "Better?" She tightened hers slowly, not liking the empty feeling.

"Much." The boy rotated his shoulder and swung his free arm around a bit. "Oh yeah, back to normal."

"Good to hear. Now if you've forgotten, ORB's got a crisis on its hands so come on!" The redhead turned around quickly, her long hair sweeping her back.

"Right! Lead the way!"

The two teens, hostess and guest continued to walk at an accelerated pace until, "Oh wait, hold up for a moment, Adam." Fllay came to a sudden halt.

The warning was too late as he bumped into her and landed on his rear end. "What do you think I have? Reverse thrusters? Or maybe we should install brake lights on your hips!"

"Shut up for a sec, would you?" She hissed at him as she put a cell phone to her ear. "Yeah, Appolly, it's me. Go wake up that person and tell him to get to his post, would you? Thanks." The troubled teen flipped it closed. "Well what are you doing sitting down there for? We've still got a ways to go." Fllay's hand launched for Adam's and yanked him to the floor and began power walking again.

"Arm… being… pulled… from… socket!"

Hidden in the ZAFT underwater forces was something brand new. Hidden amidst the GOOhNs were some of a special type. As most of them rose to climb up on shore, these slammed straight into the rocky shores and started burrowing. These were ZAFT's newest experiment, the GOOhN Underground Mobility Test Types. Only time would tell if they would pass or fail this test.

Babis flew directly into the city, unhindered by defense troops, squeezing through the spaces in skyscrapers, making windows shake, and scaring a lot of businesspeople. As they flew over a certain limousine, a pale man with a price on his head looked out past them with a disturbed look. Then the explosions began.

"Detecting a bombardment on ORB's main island!" Milly shouted out the news as soon as she got it on her screen. "The target seems to be the Seiran mansion."

Ramius practically ripped her captain's phone from its cradle. "Murdock, can we send out the ship yet?"

"That's impossible! We still haven't gotten all the engines fixed!"

"Enemy mobile suits have been deployed! Number: 40! They're advancing on our position!" The warning seemed a bit late at ORB's tactical HQ.

"Soga-san, the enemy is starting to invade. Why have we received no orders whatsoever? The civilians need to be moved!"

"Then keep trying to get a hold of the Administration!" The commander snapped back. "What the hell are the Seirans thinking?"

Speak of the devil. "Ah mou! Why are things going like this?" Yuuna walked into the room. "I said he wasn't here, so why are they still going after us?"

Soga was very thankful for being a commander at that point, that and his permission to be frank due to that rank. "Because they know it was a lie!"

"Enh!" Yuuna flinched.

"Why did Parliament send such a halfwitted response?"

"But, two years ago, when Archangel was…."

"The governmental body and the world situation is completely different from then to now!"

The immature man was taken aback by the comment, again. "Ah… um… Shut up, seriously! Anyway, begin defensive countermeasures immediately! Send out the Escort Fleet immediately! Intercept and eliminate! Mobile suit squads, launch! Keep them from getting any further!" The ships were already itching to go. They were out nearly before he finished speaking.

"Amagi, our Murasame squadron is launch capable, correct?" Cagalli turned her eyes to the taller man.

"Uh? Yes."

"Then we'll go." The girl nodded resolutely. "Captain, sorry but I'll need to commandeer a Sky Grasper!"

"What?" The request stunned the captain.

"Cagalli-sama!"

"It may be all we've got, but we'll launch just the same!"

"That's just too reckless!" Murrue yelled after her as she made her way towards the elevator. "In something like a Sky Grasper…!"

"ORB is going to be turned to ashes again!" It was as if the princess could hear the scream of the Murasame pilot that was shot up by the Gouf's gattling gun, or feel the pain of the ones that were pierced by the Babi's core cannon, or smell the napalm as the missiles landed on the beach. "I won't sit around anymore!" She made a mad dash to the elevator.

At the same time two people emerged from the same elevator, Kisaka and a special guest. The blonde girl ran blindly into the larger man and was bounced backward. "Cagalli!"

"Colonel Kisaka?" Amagi was obviously not expecting his presence.

"Erica-san?" Murrue recognized his companion, the leader of the Astray Project, Erica Simmons.

"Come on, Amagi!" Cagalli was unphased. "I WILL be taking the unit, Captain!"

"Hold it, Cagalli!" Kisaka's strong hands clamped down on her shoulders.

"I've already said I'm not waiting! Let go!"

"Just calm down and come with me!"

"No way! If I'm fated to watch, I'd rather be burned with my nation!"

Kisaka only smiled and let out a small chuckle. "I don't think it'll come to that. That's why I asked you to follow me."

"Just shut up and let go of me!"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Erica interrupted. "If you want to go, feel free. All we want is for you to listen to Uzumi-sama's words before that."

"Eh?" It calmed the golden girl down quite a bit. "My father's words?"

"Correct. His will."

Fllay halted at a very large cargo bay door. She finally released the pincer grip she had on his hand as she went to her neck. Adam moaned. "Arm! Arm! Speak to me buddy!" The boy lifted it gently, and released it again, letting it flop to the side. "You killed it!"

"This is no time for jokes, Adam Cancho." The older teen tugged a card off of her necklace and walked to the access pad to the left of the door.

"Okay, I joke. It's what I do. Sorry for being me."

"I brought you here so you may know the true secret of this facility. And it is in…" She swiped the card through the reader and pressed her hand onto the screen. The door began to open wide. "This room."

Adam and Fllay walked side by side, in step with each other as they entered into the darkness. When they reached a railing they stopped and the lights snapped on to reveal… nothing. The boy looked left and right. "Okay, I see a lot of metal, a couple of minor computers. Where is it?"

"Look down." The girl pointed with one finger.

Adam peeked over the railing, and saw the familiar silhouette of a jet. "GWAH?" He was so stunned that he almost went over the rail. "Is… is that what I think it is?"

"FAID-R1, codename: Eagle." A young man with red, curly hair stepped out of the shadows and yawned. "Yo. Had a feeling I'd see you again, kid."

Adam's lower back slammed into the rail as he pointed a very shaky finger at him. "Sh...Sh…SHERIDAN?"

"The one and the only. That was you piloting that Murasame before, right? Pretty good flying for a secondhand mobile suit."

"Hey, I'll have you know that was a commander's unit. And since when did you know Fllay over here?"

"Know her! She's my best customer! Had me build some special parts for that baby down there." He took an apple out of his pocket and took a bite.

Adam turned to the girl. "Is there anyone else I know that's here? My fifth grade gym teacher perhaps?"

"Nah, he's bouncing at some club down in Nicaragua." Sheridan chuckled.

"Will you two please be serious?" Fllay shot them both very deadly daggers.

"Yes, ma'am." They answered simultaneously in very small voices.

Fllay pressed her palms to the railing and looked down at the mobile armor. "Project Eagle. It was the real reason why I created this institution. I could have lived quietly, by myself, not existing, but I started this." She sighed. "When I had learned that Freedom was all but destroyed after the Battle of Jackin Due, it was my hope that I could create a mobile suit for Kira to use if he ever needed to again. Of course I never considered that he might actually rebuild it. Even after we learned that Freedom had arisen from the ashes like a Phoenix, we still continued on, just in case. But then… after that fight with Impulse…." She stopped when her voice trailed off. A single tear ran down her cheek.

"Fllay…." Adam rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Adam," She sniffed and dabbed the tears out of her eyes quickly. "Eagle needs a pilot."

Cagalli, Amagi, Kisaka, and Erika stood in front of an even bigger door, one that seemed to have been out of use for a few years. "There are a few words on that console, right?" Erica told the girl. "Go ahead and read them. Out loud if you please."

ORB's representative dusted off the computer below her and read what it said. "'It is my sincerest wish that there will never be a day this door will need to be opened.'" With that, the voiceprint was confirmed, and the doors began to recede.

"The 'day this door will need to be opened' is the one where ORB once again faces total destruction. That's the meaning of it." Erica explained as all four slowly began to walk into the darkened bay. "And it contains Uzumi-sama's will, which was sealed since then." The brunette flipped the main breaker on.

The lights snapped on. What they reflected off of was so bright and yellow, Cagalli had to shield her eyes. Once her vision cleared, she gasped at what she saw was standing there. "A golden mobile suit?" Amagi was as shocked as anyone. Indeed, the giant robot that stood immobile before them was covered from head to toe in gold and onyx armor. Its body was modeled after Strike, but Strike never looked so regal.

"Cagalli." From the speakers above, the words of a man echoed through the chamber.

"Father…?"

"If there should be a day when you're in need of power, I give you this in response to that need. I regret not being able to teach you many things. But as long as you still wish to learn, you can receive all the tutelage you need from those who love and support you. That being true, this is the one thing of me I wish for you to take with you. Power is only that, power. Only fools wish for too much of it, but to hate it totally is just as foolish. The sword was made to protect. If you need it now, then grasp it with your two hands! That way you'll be able to fulfill the destiny you never knew you had. Even so, I pray with all my heart that you will never have to see this day where you must listen to this old man's words. Though it probably is an unattainable dream now that you have unlocked this door, I pray for your happiness Cagalli."

"Father! Father!" The girl had broken down halfway through the recording, hearing her adopted parent's voice being too much for her. She truly adored the man, even though he was gruff and they got into arguments with each other. Even Amagi was stifling back tears.

Kisaka walked quietly to her side and knelt down beside her. "Cagalli, Akatsuki needs a pilot."

"Akatsuki?" She looked at the suit through her bleary eyes. "Unh!"

"Oh, so that was your plan, huh?" Alan spoke with a mouthful of apple. "No wonder you kept him here so long."

"Wait, what? What are you talking about, Sheridan-san?" Adam looked back between the two.

"I'll explain, Adam. I've been watching this war develop since its start, and it has basically been thrown into chaos. Choosing sides at that stage would have wound up costing you dearly, so I waited for things to become clearer to you. I know you had strong ties with ZAFT and also with ORB as well, so I wanted to make sure you knew where you needed to go. I believe you will make the right choice now. Which is why I want to entrust you with the Eagle."

Sheridan dipped the hand he held his apple with into his pocket and pulled out a data pad. "Here kid, check it out." The man flipped it his way.

The orange-haired Coordinator clumsily caught the thrown object. "Ew, it's got food boogers all over it. What do you keep in that pocket?" The boy proceeded to wipe off the screen with his sleeve. Once it was relatively clean he looked at the schematics:

Model Number: FAID-R1

Code Name: Eagle Gundam

Unit type: Prototype multi-mode mobile suit

Manufacturer: FAID (Fllay Alster Independent Division)

Operator: Unknown

First Deployment: N/A

Accommodation: Pilot Only

Overall Height: 18.69 Meters

Overall Weight: 79.43 Metric Tons

Construction: unknown

Powerplant: ultracompact dual energy battery, power output rating unknown

Equipment and design features: sensors, range unknown; Phase Shift (PS) armor; deuterion beam energy supply system; universal equipment adapters, allowing for usage of any weapon system made; quantum DRAGOON interface;

Fixed armaments: MMI-GAU26C 25mm CIWS, fire-linked, mounted in head; 2 x M71AAK "Folding Razor" anti-armor knife, housed in hips. MGX-2235 "Callidus" multi-phase beam cannon, mounted in chest; ShEZ-MA1 experimental atmospheric DRAGOON Adaptable GunBarrel x 2; ShEZ-MA2 experimental atmospheric DRAGOON Adaptable SaberBarrel x 2; MX-RQB505 beam claws x 2, Mobile Armor form only; MMI-X450 "Pedima Fiocina" foot beam cannon x 4, in both MA and MS forms

Optional Fixed Armaments:

Comet Cone: MA-BAR72/S high-energy beam rifle x 1; OWDD-V2 "Guardian" Expandable Positron Reflector Shield

Meteor Cone: RQM60 "Flash Edge" beam boomerang x 2; ShEZ-ASB1/ASB2 "Gladius" 2 Part Anti-Ship Beam Sword

Asteroid Cone: AGM148 "Dragonfly" guided missiles x 4 (simultaneous); ShEZ-KAB1 "SpitFire" Telescopic Multiphasic Beam Cannon

Pilot: -----

Mechanical Designer: Numerous designers, one name of note being Alan Sherridan

Once he finished reading, he stared at Sheridan. "This thing is compatible with the cone system?"

"Sure is. I planned on making some more Meteor and Asteroid after you got them for Falcon, but I ran out of time. Right now on there is the Comet."

"But to have a cone system on it, then the M3 Astray…. You STOLE the plans for the M3 Astray?"

"I wouldn't say stolen, Adam." Fllay turned to him, finally composed.

"I'll have you know that my mother was one of the main developers of the M3, so I take stealing the plans very personally!" He glared at her with a heated anger in his eyes.

"Now, now. Let's not get all bent out of shape here. We had to 'borrow' a lot of elements from multiple places." Sherridan approached Adam and took the pad from him. "The original positron reflector shield was created by the EAF. It's no surprise that ORB and ZAFT stole that technology. In this case it was used to create the Guardian shield for ORB and improved by me. You see that quantum DRAGOON interface? We lifted that off of ZAFT developers, and those foot beam cannons aren't even out in their production lines yet. Yes we took the basic shape and the cone system, but I guarantee you that the rest is different, right down to the transformation."

"We were trying to make a good combination of power, agility, and ease of use, so that the pilot could do exactly what he planned." The girl put a hand on Adam's arm as he was shown the key points.

"And I'd say we succeeded." Sheridan grinned before taking another bite of his snack.

"I noticed those ShEZ marked DRAGOON things. Are they yours, Sheridan-san?" Adam walked over to the railing and stared at the ship below.

"Yep, that's mine. You see, the ordinary DRAGOON system of wireless weapon pods are only capable for flight in space. With the Eagle's power system, I was able to jack up the thruster output so it can be used in the atmosphere."

"That's not what I meant. They were marked experimental. What's the chances of it blowing up in the middle of a fight?"

"None. That part is completely sound. The experimental part is the adaptability."

"Eh?"

"You see I left the OS for the DRAGOON pods fully open. If you can program them, there are probably a lot more things that those babies can do than I could imagine. Granted I did leave in the basic functions, but the rest… use your imagination. It's a pretty good invention if I do say so myself, which I do!"

A warm, silky hand slid over Adam's, and he turned his head towards its female source. "Fllay…."

A tear rolled down her cheek. "Adam please, take Eagle. A sword has no purpose if it just lies unused, and I trust you with its power. Will you… will you allow me to protect you with these true feelings?"

The boy placed his free hand on hers and stood to face her. When she looked him in the eye, he nodded. "Arigato, Fllay."

Mobile Suit Operation System

/Akatsuki/

General

Unilateral

Neuro-link

Dispersive

Autonomic

Maneuver

Synthesis System

ORB-01

The system screens activated all around Cagalli as she gripped the controls. The bootup was complete, and Akatsuki's blue eyes flashed to life. As the fueling cables disconnected from the mobile suit, Erica opened the hatches above the suit. "ORB-01 Akatsuki, system activation. You're free to launch."

"Cagalli Yula Athha, Akatsuki, hashin salu!" The engines burned white hot, and the golden suit shot out of the cave like a bat out of hell. The golden sword was released.

Adam came out of the locker room, fiddling with his flight suit to get it adjusted to his hands. Both Alan and Fllay were waiting for him at the base of Eagle. The orange haired boy sighed. "So I guess this is it, huh?" He walked over to the older teen. "Nice seeing you again Sheridan-san."

"Same here kid. It's been a real slice. A slice of what has yet to be determined." They shook each other's hand tightly, full of respect for one another.

"Fllay…." Adam turned to her, noticing her holding back some tears. "You've been very kind to me, and I'll treasure our time together. Thank you for giving me a way to fly again." He drew her into a tight embrace, which she returned double. "And thank you for opening your heart to me. Now you can finally heal."

"Adam, I…. Yes, thank you for listening to me, and supporting me." She stared deep into his eyes.

"Well then…." Adam forced himself away from the girl and started climbing up towards the cockpit.

"Adam! About Meyrin…." Fllay spoke up quickly, after thinking for a second.

"Huh? Did you find anything out?" The boy's eyes lit up with hope.

The girl took a step back and shook her head. "Uh… no, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for not being able to find anything."

"Well you tried your best, that's all anyone could ask." The pilot popped open the cockpit hatch. "You guys might want to clear out. I'm gonna take off once the bay doors open."

"Take care kid!" Sherridan ushered Fllay out to the launch control bay.

Mobile Suit Neo Operation System

Gunnery

United

Nuclear-

Duterion

Advanced

Maneuver

System

Adam's screens came to life around him as he turned the ship towards the exit. The double layered bay doors opened up with a blast of cold, snowfilled air rushing in. The pilot pressed the phase shift armor button, and the entire thing was coated with a blue and brown color scheme, like the Falcon before it. The boy locked on the breaks and jammed the engines to full. "Adam Cancho, Eagle, aim for the stars!" The breaks unlocked and the brand new mobile suit, the sapphire sword was out to meet the world, spreading its six wings out along its body.

On the ORB beachhead, ASSHU were barraging the ORB troops with multiple beam blasts. A ZnO leapt from the water and slashed a tank to bits, while a regular GOOhN lifted itself up and fired all its missiles from its arm pods before taking a hit through the torso. As Murasames valiantly fought in the sky, one of them was cut in half by a passing Gouf.

In central command everything was going crazy. "Aramatsuraba's second defensive line has been broken!"

"Uh…." Yuuna stood there like a worthless stick.

"The defensive line around the mainland has totally collapsed! If we don't reorganize the troops, we'll be wiped out!" Soga-san stated without even a blink.

"Then do it!" Yuuna snapped at him. "Just hurry up and do it!"

"Then give us your orders!"

"Again with the saying things like that…" The blue haired man grinned evilly. "If we lose this fight, you're taking the blame!"

One Gouf in a wipped out area suddenly came under concentrated fire from above. "Are… are those reinforcements? AGH!" The mobile suit exploded, taking the pilot with it.

The Murasame team, along with Kisaka, and Akatsuki, flew overhead. "Unless that defensive line gets reorganized, the entire island will fall." The colonel stated from his Murasame.

"We'll start off by gaining control of the National Defense HQ, then change the front! I want one platoon on my wing! The rest of you head out and offer all the support you can!"

"Ma'am!" The platoon banked off to the side, following close behind the golden suit.

In the base itself, the radar operators were completely confused. "Soga-san, new troops have appeared over the coast!"

"What was that?"

"Eh?" Yuuna completely forgot about his argument with the man.

"Their ident codes ID them as Takemikazuchi's units!"

"Say that again?"

"We've also got an unknown mobile suit in their formation vectoring in this direction! Putting it on screen!"

The entire base gasped as they saw Akatsuki. "Wh…what the hell is that?" Yuuna blinked at the image.

"A golden… suit?"

From the strange suit, on a special ORB channel, a transmission echoed throughout the base. "I am Uzumi Nala Athha's daughter, Cagalli Yula Athha. Defensive HQ, are you reading me? I am sure that you doubt my words as truth due to my unexpected arrival, I still wish to speak to your commanding officer. I beg…."

"Cagalli! C…Cagalli!" No one even saw Yuuna move and snatch up the microphone. "You really did come! My Honey! Thank you so much, my beautiful goddess! I'm the one commanding, me!"

The girl's voice turned soft and caring, even as ZAFT troops vectored in on her. "Yuuna!" She fired her rifle into a DINN. "Do you agree that I truly am the Representative Emir of the United ORB of Emirates?"

"Definitely. Definitely! Definitely! I definitely know it's you! She's telling the truth everyone!"

The girl's act came to an end right then and there, as her true gruff self returned. "Then with the power I wield, I order all available officers to apprehend and restrain Yuuna Rouma under the charge of treason! Detain him!"

"Eh?" Yuuna looked up at the screen, not catching most of what she said.

Soga silently went up next to him. "As ordered by our leader, I shall now begin my restraint upon you!"

"Huh?" Yuuna turned just in time to get a completely slugged in the cheek and thrown back a few feet.

"I have shown restraint against you sir! And may I say that felt damn good!" Soga rubbed his knuckles as the others piled on him.

"C… Cagalli!" It was the only thing he could think of as he struggled against the mass of humanity on top of him.

Three Murasame pulled up in formation and transformed, raining down beam shots on the Babis below with pinpoint accuracy. Two more in the air targeted Akatsuki as a command unit and fired their core cannons at her. Cagalli only stretched out the metallic body. It took both attacks and sent them back directly where they came from, piercing and destroying the ones who attacked. "Get Yuuna to spill the whereabouts of Djibril! Unato is also in the Admin building, right? Open all communication lines! ORB is under my jurisdiction starting now! Understood?"

"Ma'am!" All at the base saluted her.

From the back of her flight unit, two beam cannons unfolded at Cagalli's hips, and she fired them along with her rifle into three Goufs, not letting their pilots live to see tomorrow. "All Astray squads, rendezvous at Takamitsugata." As she spoke, two were pinned down by ASSHU on the rocks. Those were taken out quickly by Murasame sharpshooters. "Two Murasame platoons will give them air support! Protect the country we love! I now ask everyone to lend me your strength!"

"Cagalli-sama has returned!" Troops began to rejoice all over the battlefield.

Alan came back into the room with a box of tissues, which he plopped down in front of Fllay, who sat next to a mountain of already used ones, as she continued to cry away. "You're taking this rather hard, aren't you? Adam's leaving that is."

"I can't help it." She sniffed. "I've never met anyone like him. He touched my heart. Got into places no one has ever been, and even helped me mend my soul. No one has ever done that before."

The curly-haired boy's jaw hit the table and his tongue rolled out. "I don't believe it! Fllay Alster, are you in love with that boy?" She nodded before burying her face in her arms on the table. "Holy elephantine butt explosions, I never thought I'd see the day! Why didn't you tell him?"

"I couldn't…. I just couldn't. One mention of his girlfriend, Meyrin, and he lit up like a Christmas tree."

"He's really that devoted to her?"

"Totally. Even though he doesn't know she's dead."

"Okay, now you've lost me."

"She defected from ZAFT a few weeks ago. She was killed trying to escape."

"You're nuts! You should have told him that! I know it would have hurt him, but it would have given you that chance… right?"

She shook her head slowly. "I could never do that to him. He's like me."

"Huh?"

"I'm not stupid. I know that my eyes give away everything that I've been through. He has the same eyes as I do. I don't know what happened to him, and quite honestly, I don't think he knows himself, but he has his own deep scars. To give him something like that to deal with… is something I could never do to him, especially since I care for him so much."

"The same eyes huh? Well, it takes one to know one I suppose. Look, you never know. He might come back. Just… don't give up hope okay? It's all we've got in this war right now. Speaking of which, I'm hoping to use the money you gave me to finish that special project I've been working on. I'm sorry to leave you like this, but I need to get to work. You gonna be okay?"

"I'll be fine. Just go."

"Good luck, Fllay."

"Duatz team has been disabled! They're falling back!"

"Area-12's coastline, we're being repelled."

Things were not going as planned for ZAFT, as the St. Helens monitored the situation. "What the hell is going on? Just seconds ago they were about to collapse!" The general grumbled to his aide.

"Sir."

"Launch two more Gouf platoons. Really, I think it's time this country does the obedient thing and let us win."

"Sir!"

"Minerva is coming in from 8 o'clock! Distance: 20!"

In the pilot's lounge on Minerva, the three pilots leaned against the sofa, watching the screen. "So where's Djibril?" Shinn grunted.

"Apparently he has yet to be found. They're rather persistent in their resisting." Ray spoke flatly.

"Uh? Shinn?" Luna turned to him, noting his non-reaction.

"We have no need to launch all three suits at once." Ray shrugged. "I should suffice for the time being."

"No." The black haired boy's brow furrowed. "I'll be the one to go."

"Eh? But Shinn, you…." Luna put her hand on his shoulder.

"I agree. You shouldn't." Ray spoke quietly.

"No, I'm going out!" He made his way to the elevator. 'If ORB is the target, then I'm the one who will destroy it!'

Adam was pulling some serious G-forces as he hit and broke the sound barrier. "Let me make it in time! Wait for me please! Mom. Dad. Wait for me, ORB!"

"Destiny, prep for launch. All systems confirm start-up. Launch sequence initiating. Hatch released. Catapult, online. Course is clear. Destiny, feel free to launch!"

Bee, bee, bee, buzzzz! "Shinn Asuka, Destiny, ikkimas!" The blue and red PS armored suit shot out of the portside catapult.

"Eh? Shinn just…." Talia was taken off guard.

"Gwaoh! But he's a…." Arthur put two and two together incorrectly.

"He volunteered freely." Ray responded to her from the internal communications screen.

"Yes but…."

"Shinn, as a part of FAITH, volunteered himself using its authority. I also accepted the decision with the same authority given to me by the Chairman. Captain, please understand that, too."

A Murasame got a rifle shot from behind. Another turned towards the source. "What the…?" He never got a shot in before he was vanquished.

"Cagalli-sama, be on your guard! One of ZAFT's new units has…!"

"That thing is…." Cagalli focused her sensors on it, and recalled the broadcast, and the destruction that certain mobile suit caused against Heaven's Base. "Kgh!" She thrust herself towards the new arrival.

"Kegghhh!" Shinn snarled through his teeth as his radar beeped incoming.

"Eeeeehhh!" Cagalli fired at close range. Destiny spread its beam shield just in time to catch the blast. Three cockpits shook as the moment was caught. Shinn Asuka in his Destiny fighting for ZAFT, Cagalli Yula Athha in her Akatsuki fighting for ORB, and Adam Cancho in his Eagle fighting against time.

Chapter 29 Preview: When a dream is attacked and not defeated, it becomes even stronger. As new swords split the skies of battle, what shall appear in the midst of the dream? Next time on Old Friends Anew: With Freedom and Justice We Fly. Reveal your true self to the world, Eagle! P.S. This aint no clip show.


	29. Old Friends Anew Ch 29

Old Friends Anew

Phase-29: With Freedom and Justice We Fly

"Okay, we're good Neuman!" Chief Murdock called up to the bridge as everyone scrambled to their places. "Start powering her up!"

"Roger that!" The blue haired Archangel pilot began activating systems.

The elevator opened up and Athrun gingerly stepped onto the bridge, leaning on Meyrin for support due to his injuries. "Athrun!" Miriallia went wide-eyed once she saw him.

"I'll be fine." He answered her unspoken question. "At the very least, I can operate in CIC."

Outside the ship, on a helipad, one of Archangel's MPs cut the bonds that held Neo Lorrnoke, setting him free. "What's this?" He asked as he rubbed his wrists and looked over his shoulder at the white and blue jet behind him. "Explain your meaning."

"You've already healed from you're injuries, right?" Murrue stared at him with a sad smile. "If you stay, you're only going to get hurt again."

"Huh?"

"Sky Grasper…. It may be a fighter plane, but I already had it prepped. Take it and go." The woman broke eye contact and tears began to well in her eyes. She turned around quickly. The man looked over her shoulder. "You're not Mwu. Mwu is gone, right?" She left without even letting him respond, as she broke into a run.

Murrue entered the bridge as she finished drying her tears, just in time to hear Athrun's voice. "Meyrin, I have to ask you to get off, and stay at the dock."

"Eh?" She stared at him.

"After we launch, Archangel and ZAFT will be fighting one another. So that's why… I can't let you stay aboard."

"Athrun-san…."

"I really am sorry, and thank you. But you'll be safe at the dock. So please, okay?"

Meyrin shook her head twice, the look in her eyes expressing pain. "But… But I… I've always been left behind!" She grabbed onto his arm, and pressed her face into his good shoulder. "In the academy, by Lumi, by Adam…. Why am I always the one who gets left behind when everyone else moves forward?" She looked up into his eyes as tears rolled down her cheeks. "I'm fine here! I'll be okay here! I don't want to be left behind again!"

"Meyrin…." Athrun fell silent, and he turned to the captain with a silent, pleading look.

The woman nodded. "Meyrin has already fought with us on one occasion. She's welcome to join us."

"Fine then." He placed a hand on the girl's shoulder and guided her to the CIC pit below.

The Archangel's dock was at full gauge with water when Murrue sat down in her seat. "Main gate: unlock!"

"Main gate: unlock." One of the officers echoed as the large bay door slid open in four directions.

"Restraint arms: uncouple." The two magnetically sealed docking clamps released. "Engines at 20 percent. All ahead, slow." The submerged ship slowly began its exit through the long underwater tunnel.

Soon, the ship surfaced right next to the cliff the Sky Grasper was sitting on. As the battleship rose into the sky, letting the water roll off its smooth metal in a spray of heavy mist, Neo followed it with his eyes.

Murrue noticed him still on the rocks for a moment before turning to the front. "Set course to 2-0. Archangel, all ahead full!"

The hellish battle off and on the coast of Onogoro was being fought desperately as anti-aircraft bullets lit up the sky above the ORB battleships. Babi mobile suits delivered their payloads through the hailstorm, but the curtain of bullets was too thick.

From the rear of the ZAFT fleet, a familiar red and gray battleship approached. "I should thank you for coming so quickly, Captain Gladys." The commander onboard the St. Helens sent a message to Minerva.

"No need." She responded. "But what of the target? Has he still not been found?"

"Correct. They were on the verge of defeat, but they began a major reorganization. I guess we should admire their tenacity. Minerva, take up the slack in the center by supporting the Freid Squadron."

"Roger that." The commanders saluted each other as the transmission was cut. "Turn 10 degrees to port. Decelerate and prepare for a water landing. We may not be at the front, but don't let your guard down. Continue to monitor all the surrounding airspace!"

"Ma'am!" They all responded quickly as the ship slid into the water, sending up a large spray.

Elsewhere in the sky, Akatsuki fired its beam rifle at Destiny multiple times. Each time it hit, it just dissipated off of the beam shield. Cagalli gritted her teeth as she unfolded the cannons from her flight pack. "If that thing breaks through, then ORB will…" She fired both cannons and her rifle at the blue and red mobile suit, which easily dodged two shots and deflected the third.

"Tch! What the hell is that thing?" Shinn snarled. Destiny's beam cannon uncoupled from its housing on its back and unfolded into firing position. After a short time lining up the shot, Shinn fired.

"Eh!" Cagalli gasped quickly as she stretched the mobile suit out, so the beam got a direct hit into its chest. In a flash, the red and blue energy weapon was sent right back where it came from, barely giving Shinn time to dodge.

"Beams get reflected?" He tested his theory by shooting at its head with his rifle. The green energy just split into three parts on impact. "If that's the case…!" Destiny folded up the beam cannon and made the switch with its anti-ship sword. With the saber pointed straight ahead, Destiny unfurled its great plasma wings. With the sword slung over his shoulder, Shinn gunned his thrusters straight towards the unknown suit.

It was nearly too fast for Cagalli to react. She was frozen as she saw the blade and the afterimages of Destiny. "Cagalli-sama!" A cry came from above. An entire squadron of Murasame vectored in, firing at Destiny, and getting Shinn's attention. It worked. He changed course and slid past the green energy with ease. As a Murasame tried to pass under him, Shinn slashed his sword and cut it in half.

Another tactic was attempted as three of the squad transformed to mobile suit at the same time and fired at the suit in sync. Destiny easily swerved around the weaponry discharges as its wings unzipped the sky. "That won't hit me!" As he flew up to meet the three assaulters, he caught an untransformed Murasame with his blade. The pilot no longer existed.

"AUGH!" A pilot's last cry was heard as his mobile suit was pierced by a beam shot from Destiny's rifle. The red and blue mobile suit's speed was demonic, and it was soon becoming apparent to them. Another pilot's sensor beeped too late, as Destiny cut it lengthwise with his massive sword.

Among the flaming debris that was falling around him, Shinn turned to the golden suit. "Egh!" Cagalli grunted as she pulled back. From the suit's left hip, she pulled out a double-edged beam saber and readied her shield before she went full burn.

Shinn did the same with his big blade. "Could that be the commander's unit?" They clashed sword and shield. "Then why do your skills suck so much?"

"Ughe!" Cagalli strained against the controls.

A white battleship approached the field of battle. "Onogoro Island is within visual range. Bringing it up now!" Milly did her duty and patched the image through to the screen. The crew gasped at the horridness of the picture, as explosions coated the air, and smoke rose from the coast.

"Examining enemy heat signatures. Vosgulov-class: two. Wehrenberg-class: four. Izarco-class: eight. Also… Minerva is there!"

"Eh?" Ramius gasped.

"Minerva?" Athrun was totally taken aback.

"I thought Gibraltar had it in port!" Neumann commented.

"They must've come to get Djibril!"

On another battleship, the viewscreen zoomed in on the new presence, and the sight of it took everyone off guard. "Archangel!" Arthur's jaw had dropped.

"I knew it. They didn't go down." Talia stared at the ship with rapt attention.

"Akatsuki has been detected. It's in mid-fight with an enemy mobile suit bearing 2 o'clock." Milly reported her findings just before bringing up the visual.

Athrun's breath caught in his throat. "Destiny? Shinn!"

The black-haired Coordinator brought his blade down, and Akatsuki's shield was sliced in half. Cagalli lost both portions of it as she was kicked away. "Haaaaaaahhh!" Shinn yelled as he took a Flash Edge boomerang from his shoulder and whipped it Akatsuki's way.

As Cagalli charged forward with saber drawn, she tilted her mobile suit away to dodge. It wasn't quick enough, as its left arm was suddenly sliced off. "Agh!" She winced. Destiny soon let the other boomerang fly. The timing was perfect. The first boomerang was coming back and the second was going forward. It was a pincer maneuver she couldn't escape.

"Cagalli!" Athrun yelled in desperation.

On Minerva, Burt's radar went crazy. "I'm detecting two unknowns descending from above! Mobile suits? They're so fast!"

"So what are they?" Talia demanded.

The answer was short in coming. Though red from the atmospheric re-entry, the armor of the white and black mobile suit, Strike Freedom, was soon obvious to the world. Holding on to its hand was an unknown mobile suit, colored in purple and black with silver joints. Kira squinted as he let go of his partner suit and rolled towards Cagalli's battle. Freedom's railguns unfolded on its hips and fired. With less than a second to spare, the projectile slammed into the second boomerang and detonated it, throwing Akatsuki clear of the first one. Destiny caught the remaining boomerang quickly as Shinn looked towards the source of the blast. "What?" Strike Freedom barreled towards him at top speed, and the familiar look to the suit made him lose his breath. Kira whipped out both of his beam sabers and went on the attack, swiping down with his right arm. Destiny boosted its thrusters out of the way just in time. The crew of both Minerva and Archangel let out a collective gasp. The mobile suit with the golden hinges slid in front of Akatsuki, shielding it. "Freedom? What is that thing? There's no way! Just how?"

"Kira?" Cagalli stared at the back of the mobile suit in shock. "That's you in there, Kira?"

"Murrue-san, look after Lacus for me!" The strongest Coordinator sent a communication to the Archangel, but also left the channel open for his love to hear, who was piloting the other mobile suit in her brand new pink flight suit. "I'll take over out here! Cagalli, go to Defense HQ!"

"You got it!" The golden-haired girl acknowledged.

Freedom hit the throttle again as Destiny spread its wings once more. "Damn it!" Shinn growled as his thrusters fired. They clashed in midair twice, saber to saber.

Archangel's portside docking bay opened up to admit the incoming purple mobile suit. "Egh!" Athrun struggled to stand up from his chair in the CIC. Meyrin quickly went to his side and supported him.

"We're moving up to the front!" Gladys sent an urgent message to the St. Helens. "I hope that's not a problem."

"Uh… no. Please go ahead." And that was where the transmission ended.

"Rise from the water and ascend, and make it quick! Turn starboard 10 degrees!" The captain barked orders. "Our target is the Archangel!"

"Hai!" All of them responded as ZAFT's flagship let out a large trail of water as the engines went to full power. The ship broke from the surface, leaving a misty trail in its wake.

"Minerva is heading this way!" Ramius noticed the move right away. "Everyone prepare for battle!"

"Hai!"

"Launchers 1 to 10, load all tubes with Parsifal missiles." The missile tubes of Minerva opened and put in their first volley. "Tristan!" The two double barreled energy cannons calibrated themselves. "Isolde, activate!" From the center deck, the three projectile cannon chamber rose into battle position. "Your target: Archangel!"

"All rear missile tubes, load Wombats!" Archangel's missile tubes housed near the engines opened up and prepped for the first round. "Gottfried!" The energy cannons rose from the legs of the ship and stretched out their telescopic barrels. "Valiant, begin targeting!" From the back sides of the ship the Valiant projectile cannons emerged. They rotated to aim forward, and their telescopic barrels also extended. "Lock on Minerva!"

The two captains stared each other down from their respective chairs. "FIRE!" Came the order from both Amagi and Arthur simultaneously. All three Isolde cannons shot out their shells, the first volley of missiles launched from the side of the ship, and Tristan 2 discharged its energy. The portside Valiant launched its energy encased projectile, Gottfried 1 let loose its streams of green energy, and Wombats soared into the air, hurtling towards its opponent ship. Minerva's CWIS started reacting straight away, firing its machine guns into the air, blowing the missiles to smithereens and sending up a large explosive cloud in front of the ship. The cloud was quickly disbursed by the high powered energy of the Gottfried as it shot over their starboard bow. Archangel's CWIS went to work shooting up Minerva's payload, sending an orange explosive cloud up, which was cut through quickly by the Tristan's energy as it just skimmed past the port bow. Each ship came out of the smoke, passing each other's starboard bow, and firing its remaining energy cannons. Anti-beam cartridges intercepted them before the ships could be pierced by the weaponry. The real battle between Archangel and Minerva had just begun, and they were at a stalemate.

Kira pulled out both of his beam rifles, and shoved one into the back end of the other. Their combined might was unleashed at Destiny, which had no time to evade. Shinn took the attack on his beam shield in full. He pulled back and engaged his own beam cannon, firing its red and blue particle energy at Kira's Gundam. Strike Freedom's core cannon lit up and discharged its own beam of the same color. The attacks collided in midair, causing a massive explosion between the two. All the while, the battle was being watched by a very annoyed Ray.

On its attack run, a Murasame was unfortunate enough to become skewered by multiple anti-aircraft bullets before delivering its payload. From the depths of the sea, an ASSHU poked its arms and torso out of the water. The four beams mounted on the sides of its claws tore through an ORB battleship, completely destroying it. A Gouf extended its red hot whip and hurled it into an Astray Shrike at the same altitude. The red and white mobile suit was easily sliced apart. Tanks and Astrays fired into the air, trying and failing to fend off a missile barrage that slammed into the coast, and them in the process.

Akatsuki was carrying Cagalli as fast as possible towards her destination. A Gouf that was in her way was destroyed by her beam rifle's discharge. "Cagalli!" Kisaka and his wingmen formed up on her.

"I'm heading towards Defense HQ for landing! Give me some cover!" She said before she banked to one side, with the squadron following her quickly.

From space, a heat-shielded pod hurtled towards Onogoro island. Once in the atmosphere, the separation bolts detonated, and the outer shell fell apart, releasing three black and purple mobile suits into the air. "What the?" A ZAFT soldier was completely confused, not being informed of any reinforcements.

"Is that a ZAFT descent pod?" An ORB pilot also asked.

All three suits softened their landing with powerful thrusters. Each activated its pinkish camera eye. These suits were definitely not normal ZAFT troops. Their feet were massive, and encased large thrusters. Each had a large beam saber over their back that was actually mounted in the hips. The torso was heavily armored as were the arms, which each had a beam shield emitter in them. The weaponry was simple, yet complex, a single bazooka, that also had a beam rifle embedded in it as well. No, these were not ZAFT troops. These were mobile suits that original Gundam fans would recognize easily. These were the DOM Troopers.

"Heh. I knew it. Earth's gravity is a real pain."

"What are you blabbering about? Okay let's move, you dumbasses!"

"Yeah!" All three of their pilots spoke to each other.

"For Lacus-sama we fight!" The female leader of the pack cried. The three mobile suits hit their throttles and coasted above the surface like hovercraft. They fired their beam rifle portions into three ZAFT suits as they passed, their beam shields activated on their arms. A Zaku that was dumb enough to pursue one got a shot to the chest that overloaded the battery and exploded.

"What the… hell are those?" Miriallia pulled up an image of the DOMs slashing up three mobile suits with their blue beam sabers and one firing above him to take out a DINN.

"Murrue-san, Cagalli-san." Lacus opened a channel to both of them from the hangar, her hair now freely flowing over her flight suit. "The drop pod's mobile suits aren't enemies. They're our allies. I hope I was able to inform you in time."

A mass of Zakus and Goufs were in the direct path of the DOMs. "Looks like we'll have to take care of them first. Let's move!"

"Yeah!"

"So we doing this or not?"

All three went into a straight line, the first covering all with its beam shield. "Jet Stream Attack!" They spoke in unison. The first accelerated as its chest emitted a mirage of red particles to surround the three. The front one fired beam rifle blasts, the second sliced up any mobile suit that came within range, and the last one shot its bazooka at anything else the other two couldn't cover. They were certainly a force to be reckoned with. As they broke formation, each took a single mobile suit to destroy, which they made scrap metal of in record time.

"Lacus!" Athrun yelled to her as he and Meyrin made it into the hangar.

"Oh? Athrun!"

'Lacus-sama?' Meyrin studied her in silent thought. 'Is this the real one?'

The girl with the pink hair in the pink flight suit, with her pink Haro boinking around, went to meet them halfway. "I wasn't expecting you to be the pilot. Is everything okay?" Athrun stopped a few feet in front of her.

"Yes, quite. The only thing I did was take a ride in it. But what about you, Athrun? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." He smiled at her slightly as an explosion shook the ship slightly.

"I didn't mean physically." The wizened pop star stared at him with a concerned smile. When the young man looked away, it told her everything she needed to know.

"Tristan, tei!" Tristan 2 launched a volley at Archangel, missing its aft starboard by inches.

"Evade them!" Ramius ordered.

"Wombats, fire!" Amagi yelled into his headset. Archangel counterattacked with six of its own missiles, fired from the rear.

Shinn took two downward swipes at Kira, missing each time. "Damn you! Why is it this way?" Without even saying a word, Kira's SEED dropped in front of his eyes and shattered. In an unexpected move, he put away the beam rifles in a flash and activated both beam shields on the back of his hands. Shinn's next downward stroke was cancelled in a move that was deemed impossible for a mobile suit. Freedom received Destiny's blade in a bare-handed catch, something some human martial artists can't even master. "Huh?" It was the only thing Shinn could let out before Freedom's railguns flipped forward and fired at point-blank range. The explosion knocked the blade loose from Destiny's hands, and Freedom threw it away as Shinn was blown backwards. There was little damage done to Destiny, due to the Phase Shift armor, but its pilot was still majorly pissed as he pulled out his beam rifle. "So what you're saying is 'If that was a beam…'" Kira pulled out his blasters again. "'This fight would have been over!' Isn't that right?" Shinn's rage filled his eyes in with the shades of red of a SEED mode. "Tyeaaaaaaaahhh!" He charged at full burn. The two of them began exchanging intense rifle fire.

"Launcher 1, Launcher 2, fire!" Arthur ordered through his headset.

"Target their engine!" Gladys was working on a strategy. "Malik, you're in charge of evasive tactics hereon in!"

"Yes, ma'am!" The man at the controls said with strain as he cranked the wheel.

The internal communications screen popped up and Ray's face stared at the blonde woman in the captain's chair. "Captain, Shinn needs to come in."

"Eh?"

"The situation is different now. The outcome looks grim."

"Then you or Lunamaria should launch!"

"Indeed we shall head out too, but Shinn needs to come in before that. He'll need a quick maintenance and re-supply. If we don't shoot down that mobile suit, we can't win."

"Very well. I'll let you handle it." Talia closed her eyes for a second, only to open them with an annoyed look on her face. "But make it fast!"

"Understood." The discussion ended there.

"Abby," The captain turned to the new intelligence officer. "What's the situation on the front? Have we still not been able to locate the target?"

Suddenly, in the ORB Parliament shelter, which housed all of the Emirs aside from Yuuna was broken through by one of the new GOOhNs. Those that were not killed by getting hit by the mobile suit were crushed by the collapsing roof, Unato included. Sadly, a shelter full of civilians also was hit. All the while, Djibril ran through the tunnels and halls, escorted by ORB military that was loyal to him.

"Correct." Abby answered the captain. "We have yet to get any information on him!"

The Defense Headquarters was under siege. Astrays and Murasames covered the building in desperation. One of the burrowing GOOhNs popped up right in front of an Astray guarding the front door, and shot its chest beams straight into it. "Haaaaaaahhh!" Cagalli let out a battlecry as she stabbed the enemy mobile suit and landed just feet from the doors. The blonde ripped her helmet off and descended the winch while Kisaka began to land himself.

Kira was playing follow the leader with Shinn, who was following and not liking it one bit. "This one…! He just won't go down! Why won't you die?" He fired three more rifle shots at Freedom, which Kira either dodged or deflected.

Shinn's communications screen activated. "Shinn, return to ship!" Ray told him.

"Uh? How come? I can still fight!" He checked his power gauge, which spoke differently. It was down to 16.

"I'm ordering you. If you want him gone, return for now. Get it?" Ray ended the transmission there.

"Keh! Screw you! I'm the same rank!" Shinn hit his communications to Minerva. "Abby! Deuterion beam!"

"Eh?" Both she and the captain said it at the same time.

"What is he…?" Arthur let the question hang.

"But, Shinn…." The girl said.

"Don't question me! Just do it, damn it! Do I have to make it an order?" Shinn hissed at her, and flew towards the Minerva.

The blonde girl looked towards the captain, who just shrugged. "Deuterion Chamber on standby. Targetting Destiny. Deuterion System at full charge!" Destiny flew up high in front of its flagship. "Deuterion Beam, irradiate!"

The slow and thin particle beam started to lance towards Destiny's forehead. Suddenly Burt's screen went wild again. "Incoming mobile suit from portside! It's no good! It's too fast for me to get a reading!"

A blue and brown phase shifted mobile armor rocketed forward. Its rear claws closed up and flipped into its body while the legs rotated out from the same hinges and stretched to their full extension. The cockpit receded into the torso as the six wings slid backwards until they touched. Arms folded out and down from the chest, and the core cannon latched onto the tip of the nose cone uncoupled and slid in to take their place. The blue nose cone shot off the suit, revealing the head inside, and it split into two even pieces. The cone halves latched onto the shoulders of the mobile suit, and a rifle slid into the right hand while a small shield slid onto the left. The shield opened up around its four-point star and glowed with the technology of a positron reflector shield. The new mobile suit halted in the path of the Deuterion Beam, and its head antennae absorbed the energy. The pilot's energy gauge instantly went back from low to maximum power. "Heh, thanks for the recharge. Nothing beats a good pit stop."

Shinn was stunned. "Wha? What is that?" Then he realized he wasn't getting any power from the Deuterion cannon. "I don't care who you are, but you're in my way!" He pulled out his beam rifle and fired. The mobile suit turned its shield towards the attack and disbursed it. "A positron reflector? Wait. I know that equipment!" His mind flashed back to when he was flying with his best friend in the sky, and how Falcon transformed. "Damn you! Using parts from my dead friend's mobile suit!" He pulled out the remaining Flash Edge from his shoulder and hurled it at the enemy.

"Wah-oh!" The pilot said as he spun away from the boomerang. "And this is nothing like a good pit stop!" The dangerous weapon made its arc back towards the new suit. "Well, let's see how these things work!" The two lower wings separated from the body and flew under their own power, spreading out beam sabers perpendicular from the wingtips. One of the pods met the boomerang's beam saber, stopping its spin, and the second one did a barrel roll, slicing up the weapon less than a second later. Both pods cleared the area before the explosion, and became wings on the mobile suit once again. "Oh yeah! Atmospheric DRAGOONs! Work's like a charm!" The pilot in the yellow flight suit grinned. "Now… about that attack you just made…." The six-winged suit turned towards Destiny.

"What the hell is this?" Shinn pulled out his rifle again and fired two shots. The new mobile suit danced away and fired its own rifle. Destiny deflected it with its shield quickly. "Then I'll take you out this way!" He pulled out both beam sabers on his hips. The enemy suit launched its top two wings, and they hurtled towards Destiny with powerful thrusters. Each fired beams of green energy at the mobile suit. "Nani?" Shinn's beam sabers batted the assault away after some quick thinking. He was too preoccupied with them to see the bottom wings launch again and extend their blades. They came in horizontally from the sides, slicing off Destiny's weapons just below the handle. Shinn let them go before they exploded. "Shit, are those DRAGOONs? But we're in atmo! Minerva! I'm coming in for a landing! Get this monkey off of my back, would you?"

"Understood!" Arthur said. "Tristan 1, tei!" The flagship's main cannons fired at the mystery suit.

"Everyone's on my case today!" The pilot whipped around and took the blast in the reflector shield. He tilted back and the shot was reflected straight up into the air.

The beam energy got the attention of Kira, who magnified the source three times on his screen. "That mobile suit… is that…?"

The six winged suit barreled away and headed towards the island, but not without making a pass by Archangel. It waved at the bridge with its shield hand as it sped by, and for some reason, Murrue felt compelled to wave back. "Miriallia, keep an eye on that one! It may have not attacked us, but we still don't know its allegiances!"

"Got it!" She responded.

Cagalli and Kisaka entered the command center. "Yuuna!" She yelled as she ran to where he was sitting on a chair, beaten, and his hands tied behind him.

"Cagalli!" He stood up. "This is cruel! They went too far! Cagalli… you were gone… so I tried my best to…." His sentence was never finished as Miss Fist met Mister Cheek as the blonde princess finally got to do what she wanted to do for months. "Gwah!" He cried as he fell to the floor. He struggled to sit up. "Cagalli!"

"I'm not saying you're completely to blame! By not sharing my views with you, Unato, and the other Emirs, and not doing the duties set upon me…. I'm at fault too!"

"Cagalli, that's not…."

"But what the hell do you call this, huh? We may not see the same view, but didn't we have the same drive to protect our country?"

"No, but, that's…"

The girl's rage was unrivaled as she picked up the taller man by the collar. "Spill it! Where the hell is Djibril?" Not getting a response right away she shook him once. "Are you still trying to shield him even now?"

"But I already said! I don't know!"

"Yuuna!"

"Really, really! I haven't a clue! Yes he was at our house, but now I have no clue where he is!"

"Tch!" She threw him into the arms of the nearest security personnel. "Enough. Lock him up!"

"Hey, but… Cagalli!" As they took him away, he continued to call for the girl.

"The Kaguya blockade is done, right?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Commander Soga told her.

"Our highest priority should be to find and capture Djibril ASAP!" Kisaka chimed in.

"We can't give up! We'll start work on a cease-fire once they've been pushed back! Keep that in mind for now!"

"Yes ma'am!" The entire room saluted her.

"I've got an incoming transmission from an unknown mobile suit!" One of the communications officers called. "Putting it up on speaker, also getting a visual of the mobile suit!"

The video was patched in first and Cagalli's jaw unhinged. "Is that the… M-3?"

"Hey, looks like you've got quite the party going over here!" The pilot said as he shot out a Gouf who had unkindly disassembled a Murasame. "You got an assignment for me or should I just fly around destroying random ZAFT suits?"

Cagalli snatched the microphone away from the nearest communications officer. "Adam? Adam is that you? You bastard! I thought you were dead!"

"Hey, is that any way to talk to your friend that has a nice shiny new Gundam for you to make use of? Of course it's not as shiny as yours, that is… if that gold one parked in the front lawn is yours. Anyway, I'm here, and I'm ready for action. Adam Cancho, Eagle Gundam, reporting for duty!"

"You have no idea how good it is to hear your voice again. Eagle, give air support to those purple and black mobile suits! Those are our allies."

"Got it!"

"And after you're done with that, head for the Archangel! I think a certain Hawke would absolutely love to see you."

"M…Meyrin's back on Archangel?"

"We'll talk later! Get to work!"

"Yokhai!" Adam's transmission ended and he banked towards the DOMs.

The Archangel shook from another explosion, but Athrun and Meyrin were unfazed as they stared at the new metallic arrival in the hangar. Neither was the girl who approached them, who had changed from her flight suit into something a little more comfortable, and a lot more stylish. "Justice, huh?" Athrun said to her without looking.

"Yes. But its full name is Infinite Justice."

"Is it mine?" There was small hint of irritation in his voice.

Lacus paused for a second before speaking. "Putting everything else aside, you're the one that gets to decide that."

Kira's HiMat system activated, and he targeted multiple mobile suits on the ground. Strike Freedom let loose all five of his weapons at once, taking out that many mobile suits. The DOMs took care of the scraps that were left, while Eagle shot out the skyward DINNs and Babis with his rifle. "That mobile suit…." Adam noticed the source of the blasts and toggled his communications once again. "Is that who I think it is in there?"

Kira blinked when he heard the voice. "Adam? Adam Cancho?" He put on the full video.

"Remind me to kick your ass later for making me think you were dead."

"Heh, same goes to you, and I happen to know there are a lot more people who want to kick your ass than mine!"

"Match point to Kira Yamato." A formation of Goufs was heading towards the DOMs, guns a-blazing. Eagle whipped around and fired three quick rifle shots, taking out the formation. "And three more kill points for me!"

Athrun glared at Lacus. "So you're also thinking I'm only a fighter, too? Is that what you're hinting at?"

"That is also something you get to decide." He twitched at her words. "It's scary to be limited. To just give up while thinking 'this is the way it is' or 'this is where it ends.'"

Shinn slammed his fist into the wall as he watched his mobile suit get its replacement weaponry onboard. ORB military personnel escorted running crowds through buildings and bridges to get to shelters. Astrays gave them cover fire. "Don't let the fighting reach the civilians! We need to draw the line here, no matter what!" Kira whipped out a beam saber and beheaded two Babis. Adam spread his arms wide and fired his core cannon into two DINNs that were in line.

"I'm sure it's painful for someone with a wound like yours." Lacus continued, "But Kira said when he wished for me to pilot Justice, 'Unh. We can fool them this way. Two birds taken out with one stone. But as for Athrun, not being able to do anything when you're yearning to do something… isn't that the worst pain of them all?"

"Kira…." Athrun whispered.

"Power is just that, power. And you may be a fighter like you said, but you're also Athrun. Am I right?"

"Uh?" Athrun looked to her, trying to soak up her words.

"I'm sure that that's the way it is."

Adam looked to his left and saw three Zakus in close proximity to each other. He flew over to them faster than they could react. The first one, he stepped on its head, and it exploded, the discharge from his foot beam destroying the mobile suit. The shockwave from the explosion sent him towards the second Zaku, which ate the other foot and its beam quickly. The third met the energy of a beam rifle. "That's three more down!" The orange-haired Coordinator took to flying in formation with the DOMs once again.

A smoking Gouf flew under the Minerva's port wing and detonated unintentionally, shaking up the ship. "Turn 20 degrees to port! Circle behind them!" Gladys ordered.

"Parsifal, tei!" Arthur commanded the firing station.

"Eight missiles detected at 11 o'clock!" Milly warned the Archangel bridge.

"Dodge them!" Ramius shouted. The CWIS turned to shoot up six of the missiles as she banked hard to port.

Two more of the Parsifals were left over, and a swift jet fired its overhead cannon with pinpoint accuracy to dispatch them from this existence. It flew past the bridge, and everyone was taken by surprise by it. "Sky Grasper?"

"Heh, looks like I don't know when to keep my nose in my own business! Sorry." Neo came up on screen.

"Y…you?" Murrue's jaw nearly hit the bulkhead.

"But you know, I'm not really a fan of that Minerva ship over there."

"Eh?"

"Don't worry. You'll win this one. I mean, I am the man who makes the impossible possible." With that line, he cut the transmission.

"Mwu…." Ramius whispered to herself, recognizing the line that he always said come out of the mouth of the man that looked exactly like him.

"Second District here! We have no sightings of him!" An ORB officer reported from the shelter to HQ.

"Sixth District here! We've got nothing as well!"

"Third District here. Nothing suspicious going on." A man with a smoldering machine gun held the radio to his ear. The man who had just shot out the MP search party. The one who was defending Djibril and his cat. The one who just lied to HQ and got away with it.

An Astray became cornered by two Goufs, and an instant later, the Goufs had more corners than before, as Freedom came down on top of them, disabling them easily with its beam sabers only to take off again. The Minerva's alarms blared as the PA system came to life. "Destiny: re-supply complete. You may launch at any time." Shinn smiled and rushed to the elevator.

"Shinn, wait!" Luna began to go after him, but he wasn't listening, and was in the elevator before he even realized she spoke.

"Lunamaria, you'll be staying here." Ray spoke to her.

"Eh?"

"Kuso! Those two…!" Shinn growled on his way to the hangar. "This time, I'll make sure of it!"

"This is an order." Ray spoke to Luna in a stern tone. "If Shinn is distracted, he'll lose."

"But…"

"As things stand at the moment, you'll only hold him back." Ray's curt words stunned Luna, and he left without further speech. Both Ray and Shinn booted up their systems. "Make sure you're cautious, Shinn. If they succeed in provoking you, even if it's possible for you to win, you won't. They're trying to do exactly that."

"I understand." The red-eyed boy responded.

"That's good then. One is only a phantom. The other is just spare parts. Let's take them both down together!"

"Ah!" Bee, bee, bee, buzz! "Shinn Asuka, Destiny, ikkimas!"

"Ray za Burrel, Legend, hashin salu!"

Kira's proximity alarm went off, and he took a look towards the Minerva. "Those are…. Ugh!"

Kira wasn't the only one who noticed. "Shit, both of them are out now!" Adam growled. "HQ, I'm breaking off. Freedom will need some assistance on this one!"

Athrun gripped his forehead, struggling with what was said in his past, be it his words, or those he respected, many important phrases returned to him. In the end he faced Infinite Justice under his own power and turned to the pink haired girl. "Arigato."

The operating system in Infinite Justice came to life, and its green eyes flashed on. The portside hatch opened, and the lights inside the catapult turned yellow and green, to indicate the clear path. Athrun's purple helmet barely hid his bandages. "The person I am is… Athrun Zala! Justice, delu!" The mobile suit shot out of the catapult, and the purple phase shift armor gleamed in the mid-day sun.

Chapter 30 preview: Inside the chaos, who will be the ones left standing? Who will emerge from the nightmare of battle in triumph? What true powers lie within the mobile suits? Also… how will one react to the events he was never a part of? Next time on Old Friends Anew: Echoes That Fight Back. Let your sword of truth fly free, Justice!


	30. Old Friends Anew Ch 30

Old Friends Anew

Phase-30: Echoes That Fight Back

The operating system in Infinite Justice came to life, and its green eyes flashed on. Athrun's purple helmet barely hid his bandages. "The person I am is…."

From the hangar observation deck, Meyrin watched the mobile suit slide towards the hatch. "Athrun-san…."

Murdock was in a huff as he quickly ran behind the mobile suit as it went into the catapult. "Hey! Hold it, damn it!" Athrun didn't hear a word as the protective shutter slammed shut behind him. The chief went straight to the nearest comm. station. "Captain! The ZAFT boy just jacked a mobile suit!"

"Eh? With his injuries?" Ramius was taken aback. "He's being too reckless. Stop him, quickly!"

"Captain." In the panic, no one saw Lacus enter the bridge. "I beg of you to let him do what he wants, just this once."

"Hwwwaaaaaahhhh!" Destiny shot off three of his rifle's energy bullets in rapid succession while he drove forward, aiming at one target: Freedom. As Kira backed away, Shinn spread his wings and his speedy afterimages floated through the air behind him. With a flip of a switch, he had pulled out his beam cannon and lanced the discharge towards Freedom.

"Oh no you don't!" Eagle slid down in front of Freedom and put its beam shield forward. Once the blast disbursed, Adam pulled his shield arm back and fired his rifle with the opposite hand. Destiny blocked with its own beam shield and fired a countering burst, which missed. Kira rolled out from behind Adam and the mixture of red and blue energy tore through the air as Strike Freedom's core cannon went off. Shinn ascended straight up to avoid the blow, and the other two followed him, while Ray just stood back and observed the fight.

"Athrun Zala, Justice, delu!" The mobile suit shot out of the catapult, and the purple phase shift armor gleamed in the mid-day sun.

The three DOMs were tearing up the ground forces left and right with well coordinated attacks. As one fired a bazooka at a Slash Zaku Phantom, pushing its shield out of the way, a second fired its blaster, piercing the cockpit with precision. An entire formation of those types of ZAFT suits dove towards them, seeing that conventional weaponry didn't work and guessing that hand-to-hand combat would be better. Boy were they wrong. The Zakus never touched the DOMs at all, as their long azure beam sabers cut them up before they could strike, while multiple Astray pilots' jaws dropped at their success. They were nearing the shoreline, and where there was shoreline, there were amphibious mobile suits, including ASSHU, GOOhN, ZnO, and even an amphibious blue GINN from one of their MSV experiments. To the DOMs, they were just in the way.

"Hey now, hey now! You'd better retreat! Retreat, damn it!" The eye-patched leader only smiled.

The glasses-wearing one answered her calmly. "How are they going to do that if you keep shooting out their legs?" The third just chuckled at it. In the air, two Gouf's were caught by fire from nosediving Murasame. They didn't last very long.

In the Defense HQ, things were also very hectic. "Hayamatsumi is confirmed sunk. Toyamatsumi has lost their engines!"

"Sixth Mobile Air Squadron, protect the Izanagi coastline. I repeat…."

"Ninth District reporting, Djibril has not been seen."

"Tenth District, nothing here either."

"Tenth Mobile Division, the frontline artillery needs backup, can you handle it?"

"Damn it!" Cagalli balled her fist. "Where is that bastard?"

"Parsifal, TEI!" Arthur yelled into his microphone over the explosions. Eight missiles shot out of the Minerva's starboard side.

"Dodge it!" Ramius ordered. "Hard 30 degree turn to port!"

"Helldart! Fire!" Amagi commanded. The Archangel's anti-missile missiles lanced towards the attack closing in on them from the rear.

Coming from above, the Sky Grasper moved too speedily for the Minerva's CWIS to handle him. "Ehhhh!" From under its left wing, a missile dropped out and fired, landing directly on top of the Isolde cannon, shaking up the entire ship.

"CWIS can't get a lock on that fighter!" Abby told the captain.

"Arthur!" The woman inferred to her second.

"Hai! Tristan, tei!" The massive beam cannons cut through the air just as Neo was banking hard. The energy clipped his right wing and the entire ship began to shudder.

"Sky Grasper has damage!" Miriallia reported.

The communications screen popped up to reveal Neo's face. "Heh. Permission to board?"

Ramius didn't need another word from him as she ripped her phone out of its cradle. "Maintenance crews, incoming emergency landing!"

The Archangel's starboard hatch raised open. Seeing it suddenly made Neo gasp. A fragment of a memory came to mind, when there was a large hole in that same hatch. He shook it off quickly as he came in for a quick landing.

Freedom and Destiny orbited around each other, firing their blasters at the enemy, but none connecting. Each could only go over their shoulders. "Keh!" Shinn snarled as he fired twice, which Kira slid away from.

"This one needs to be pushed back!" Adam yelled as he slid into Destiny's view. His Gunbarrel DRAGOON wings shot off and hurtled towards the black-haired boy.

"Not again!" His former friend hissed as he spun around the attacks, firing back at the pods, clipping one, but not enough to damage its functionality.

Adam pulled out his rifle and lined up a shot dead center of Destiny during the chaos. "Gotcha." As he was about to pull the trigger a wide rifle shot cut through it. Eagle pushed its shield forward as the rifle overloaded, the shockwave pushing him away. "Gyaaahhh!" Adam's gunbarrels rejoined the mobile suit as Legend watched the suit fall away.

Shinn found Freedom again, and followed it with a newly revised strategy. He fired three times, to the left first, making him dodge right, to the right, making him dodge left, and once again to the left, making him swoop out of the way to the right. Ray saw his opportunity and came up behind Freedom. Kira saw it just in time as six of Legend's backpack DRAGOONs faced forward and discharged their energy, and the violet-eyed Coordinator backflipped out of the way. Ray grunted as he lined up another barrage, including his rifle into the mix. The multiple rapid-fire shots were matched by Kira's speed as he dodged them swiftly. "That unit… looks like Crusets!" The boy said once he got a clear look at it.

"Why you…! Fall already!" Shinn was not to be ignored as he tried for the behind-the-back tactic. Kira turned around and dodged him quickly when the blaster went off, but Shinn was close enough. Destiny began reaching out its palm as it charged up.

"Kira!" Adam yelled as he came in from below, his leg forward. The palm beam of Destiny and the foot beam of Eagle intersected and both were blown clear of Freedom. "Take the shot!"

Freedom lowered its blaster to bear. "Shinn!" Ray yelled as he discharged his rifle. Kira raised his arm just in time as the blast went under it. He pulled up as another shot was fired. Ray didn't move from his horizontal position. Instead Legend posed its weaponry until it aimed behind it. The boy put up his beam shield, and took all six attacks at once. The energy blew him back, sending Freedom into a spiral. "Do it now, Shinn! Take him down!"

"Kgh!" Shinn looked up as he pulled out his cannon. He let his targeting computer take care of the rest. Once it said "Acquired" he fired. The two-colored beam shot straight for Strike Freedom's back.

"Agh!" Kira realized the trouble he was in, but still hadn't recovered from the tumble. Two saberbarrels swooped in and spread their beam sabers from the wingtips and went into a high speed spin in front of the blast.

The beam intersected the melee weapons and scattered away, the energy of the sabers bending the particles and deflecting them away from Freedom. "Nani?" Shinn's eyes went wide. "Where is that…?"

"Enginegeneratoroffline. Powerreroutetomainweapon. Energyinputbufferrecalibrated. Secondaryhatchrotation105degrees. Pressuresensitivityto50PSI. Yosh! Gunbarrel Program One, online!" Adam hit the enter key on his keyboard. Eagle's gunbarrel pods extended a lower hatch that rotated out towards the back. Its arms crossed each other and the DRAGOONs popped off their moorings. Each hand grabbed the open hatches tightly and pulled both wings up forward. Adam gunned the engines and went straight for Shinn. After the buster energy dissipated from around the saberbarrels, they flew back to meet him. "Damn you!" Eagle squeezed the hatch of the barrel in his left hand and it discharged a rifle blast from the wingtip straight at Destiny. He lined up the right hand as well and took a shot with it. Adam had lost one beam rifle due to Ray, and now he had two more to work with.

But Shinn's eyes followed the saber DRAGOONs back to their source and saw the weapons before they fired. He spun away from the powerful energy quickly. "Damn it! Just how many tricks does that thing have?" Destiny aimed his buster down at the Eagle and twitched on the trigger.

"Enough of this!" A familiar voice yelled in Shinn's ear.

"Uh?" Shinn stopped moving to press the button. A beam boomerang was heading straight for him, and a purple Gundam behind that. Shinn deflected the boomerang with his shield and threw it away, but that just left him open, and Justice slammed its shield's broad side into his mobile suit. They collided and bounced away from each other.

Ray backed away, preparing for the unexpected with this new arrival to the battlefield. Kira finally recovered from his spin. "Athrun!"

Adam looked up from below. "Is that… Justice? Then… the pilot is… Zala-daichou? Is that him?"

Athrun stared at the ZAFT suit just below his altitude, and Shinn looked back in total shock and amazement. His video communications screen opened automatically as his opponent sent a message to him, Legend, and Freedom. "You've got to stop this, Shinn!" Adam was the only one who didn't hear the message, because his communications code was unknown to the others.

"Athrun?" Shinn began to sweat, remembering the final blow he landed on the stolen Gouf. "But… no way…."

"Just end this already!" The younger boy just stared at the screen, trembling. "Are you even truly comprehending what you're trying to destroy? To be able to end a war… To destroy Logos to do it… and you're attacking ORB to do that? Was that really what you were aiming to do? 'They're not listening, so we should attack them'? You're pointing your blade at that country! Is that what you really want?" Shinn's trembling eyes couldn't answer Athrun's determined face. "Remember it Shinn! Remember what you really wished for! And remember what I said before! 'Killing because someone killed, being killed because you killed, is that really the path to peace?'"

"Tch!" Ray clicked as he thrust forward. "A traitor that just won't die and just spewing a whole lot of nothing shamelessly…! That's all he is, Shinn!"

All four of the other pilots gasped at his move as he slung his rifle into position and shot a beam between them. Athrun fell back and spread his beam shield as he fired again, deflecting it. Kira was first to react as he blew forward firing his blasters to get Legend to break off. "Kgh!" The blonde grunted as he defended with his own beam shield.

"Ray!" Shinn yelled out as he pulled out his rifle and prepared to go as backup.

Infinite Justice slid in his path. "Shinn!" Athrun pulled out a double edged beam saber from his left hip and spread it, "You can't attack ORB!"

"No way! I'm not going in there!" The all too familiar voice of the tied up Yunna Rouma Seiran wafted through the air. "I want to go to the Seiran shelter! The Seiran shelter!"

"A shelter is a shelter!" One of his guards sent back at him. "So get in already!" A Murasame flew over them at a low level, with a Gouf hot on its tail. It took everyone off guard, and Yuuna took this chance. He headbutted the closest guard and ran through the hole. "Yuuna-sama!"

"Shut up!" He said, continuing to run. "I will… I will…." The Gouf spun its whip around quickly, trying to avoid the Murasame's attack. The pilot found a good spot and began throwing the whip from the side, which was the exact same moment the Murasame fired its rifle at the blue suit. The blast hit the cockpit, and the dead suit went into a downward spiral. "Uh…ahhhh!" Yuuna squeaked, as the shadow of it covered him. The ZAFT suit's torso landed on top of him. He would never annoy anyone with his voice again.

Kira fired his core cannon at Ray, who pulled away from the attack. Adam came up from behind and did the same, forcing the gray Gundam to spin away quickly. Legend fired three beams at Freedom and three more at Eagle. Still Athrun and Shinn stared each other down amidst the chaos. "You shouldn't fight when you don't know what your anger really is from!"

"What are you spewing?" Shinn finally was able to counter him.

In a hidden cave/runway, an oddly shaped ship sat on the track. "Where are they? Unato-sama and Yuuna-sama… they're really late…." One ORB officer talked to another in front of the open door to the passenger chambers of the ship, where Djibril tapped his finger on the armrest impatiently.

"Why are you bullshitting me?" Shinn let out a loud growl as he pulled a boomerang from his shoulder.

"Shinn!" Athrun put up his beam shield as Destiny slammed the Boomerang into it like a beam saber.

"Like you can understand! Like you aren't a traitor!" The boy caught Justice's movement as he began to line up his beam saber. Destiny broke away just as he took the swing. He pulled out both his boomerangs this time and hurled them towards the purple suit. Justice activated the beam sabers on its legs, stretching from knee to toe. Athrun batted one boomerang away with his shield, and the other was deflected with a backflip kick with his slicing leg.

"Freedom…!" Ray snarled as a beam lance ejected from Legend's hip and into its hand. He spread its long saber and went forward. Kira matched his move with his own saber and the two clashed in the sky.

"This is getting to be too much! I can't back them both up at once like this." Adam pulled down his keyboard again. "Looks like I'll have to see just how adaptable Sheridan's DRAGOONs are. Gunbarrel Program 2, Activate!" Eagle's right arm stuck the beam-rifle pod in its hand onto the back of the reflector shield. The pod extended some holding clamps to grip its front edge. The second rifle's nozzle was shoved into the back, where the engine hole was, and it also clamped onto the back edge of the shield. He gripped the pressure sensitive hatch with his left hand. He now had a combination beam cannon and reflector shield. "Not done yet! Saberbarrel Program 1, run!" The wingtips of the saber pods opened up, and the double-edged sabers turned vertical and receded into the pod. Eagle took them out of their docks with both hands and slammed the two tips into each other. The pod hatches closed on each other, locking into place. Two more hatches on either side of the engine nozzles folded out. Two long blue beam sabers extended from the engines, with smaller purple sabers extending from the now open hatches on either side, pointing at a 45 degree angle from the main one. Eagle spun the new double-edged, multi-colored weapon in its right hand. "Let's go!" Adam gunned the engines.

Minerva finally succeeded in getting behind Archangel, and fired their Tristan cannons. The legged ship's evasion was just enough so that the shot went over the starboard bow. "We'll switch to submersible combat!" Ramius announced. "Helm, pitch downward by 20 degrees."

"Preparing to submerge now." Neuman answered back. The white and red ship began its descent and caressed the water before crashing into it.

Arthur noticed the spray coming up from their enemy. "Captain!"

"If they're going to submerge, then we won't be able to attack them!" Talia leaned forward. "Malik! Break off and ascend, now!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

The Archangel, now completely submerged, pointed its cannons towards the surface. "Valiants, fire!" Both side projectiles lanced through the water, leaving a vapor trail. They broke surface and impacted the starboard aft of Minerva, causing the entire ship to rock severely.

"There can't be any more delays!" Djibril spat at the two men waiting for the Seirans. (AN: In the first draft, I accidentally called him Dribble.) "Now start the launch!"

"But then…."

"I'm the one that's required here, not the Seirans! Haven't you figured this out? The moon is waiting for me!"

The Archangel fired torpedoes from its bow. They curved towards the heat that four of the enemy's engines were putting out, and that is exactly how many ships were destroyed by the attack.

Adam shot straight up under Ray, spinning his beam saber like a baton or a bo staff. When the proximity alarm beeped, Legend broke away from Strike Freedom to get away from the new enemy. Kira gasped. "Adam!"

"Heh. The first rule of computers and combat, my friend, backup! I'll never let these two monsters get into ORB!" The deep brown of his SEED spread through his eyes as it shattered. He pointed his buster shield at the gray Gundam and let a beam of thick green energy burst through the nozzle. Legend blocked the blast with its shield, but the energy still pushed him back. As he tried to recover in midair, Ray fired his six beams at Eagle. Adam rolled to the left to dodge the right three shots, and caught the left three with his beam shield. He slid off the attack and dove straight for the middle of the suit, beam saber first. Ray readied his saber as well and they connected just before Adam's sword would plunge into the cockpit. A quick flick of Eagle's wrist slid Legend's beam saber sliding down his own, until it was caught in the cross between blue and purple sabers, holding it at such an angle that Ray couldn't pull it out without difficulty or Adam knowing it.

"Kuso!" Shinn yelled at he dove once again for the injured Athrun. Adam brought his cannon to bear on Destiny and fired from above. Shinn reversed his thrust, and the power pierced the sea below just in front of Destiny's nose. Shinn released his sword from his backpack, lifting it over his shoulder as he spread his plasma wings again. Athrun slid to the side as Shinn's downward stroke met nothing but air. They both turned around, clashing shield and sword. "Damn it!"

"Shinn! Stop fighting!"

Eagle had Legend in a tight spot. Ray attempted a punch with his free hand, but Adam's shield arm just lifted it out of the way as they clashed with their beam shields. Eagle's core cannon began powering up for a point blank range blast. In a show of quick thinking, Ray turned off his saber, freeing his other hand. He spread the beam shield on that arm and covered his mobile suit. As the powerful and colorful cannon ejected its gathered energy, the force between the blast and the shield pushed the two mobile suits apart violently. "Gyaaahhh!"

"DAMN IT!" Shinn screeched as his red eyes solidified in SEEDed rage. His weapon slid off the shield and swung around from the right for a secondary strike.

Athrun was thrown back by the attack, and the first thing he saw when he recovered was Destiny coming in for another high-speed assault. For the first time in two years, Athrun called upon his inner strength as his emerald green SEED dropped in front of his eyes and exploded. He also charged. The two suits swung their blades at the same time, and not even a split second later, they were flying away from each other. The only damage done in that charge was obvious mere seconds later, when Destiny's sword hand short circuited at the wrist and exploded, taking the sword with it. The shocked look on Shinn's face explained it all. "Shinn!" Ray recovered just in time to see the arm get destroyed.

Underwater, Archangel fired its Valiants into the aquatic mobile suits vectoring in on their position. "Sir! As things stand, our forces are being placed in a large margin of disadvantage!" Talia spoke to the commander of the St. Helens. "Please order a temporary withdrawal!" The submarines countered the legged submersible with missiles of its own.

"What the hell are you talking about? Don't you know what happens if Djibril escapes?" The man on the sub countered as Amagi ordered the Valiants to fire.

"Yes but…" Talia never finished the statement as the transmission ended in static.

"I've lost the Flagship St. Helens' signal!" Burt reported. There was no need to say it, because they saw the explosion of the sub reach the surface in front of them.

On the far side of the island, the forest lifted up, or at least the hatch that looked like forest. The roar of powerful engines echoed inside, and an ORB shuttle shot out of the runway inside. Alarms blared inside Defense HQ. "One ship detected launching from the Second District!"

"Eh?" Cagalli looked to the screen.

"This is…." The camera zoomed in on the insignia on the wing. "The Seiran's shuttle!"

"Nani?"

"A shuttle?" Talia turned towards Burt.

"Doesn't the trail lead from the opposite side of the island?" Arthur added his two cents in.

A shock of realization hit the captain as she pulled out her phone. "Lunamaria, hashin! You have to stop that shuttle that just launched! We're thinking it might be Djibril's getaway car!" The girl gasped as her systems came online. "If you can't bring it down, then I authorize deadly force to destroy it!"

"Hai!" Bee, bee, bee, buzz. "Lunamaria Hawke, Core Splendor, ikkuwayo!"

"Adam, new assignment!" Cagalli yelled into a microphone.

"Eh?" He responded quickly.

"Catch that shuttle and bring it down no matter what! Don't let it reach space!" She turned to Soga. "Send some Murasames to back him up!"

"Ma'am!"

Adam's modifications to the DRAGOONs returned to normal and the pods reattached and became wings once more. He broke off and headed for the jet trail. His shield slid back into the nose cone, and the two halves slid onto its head and combined into one. The core cannon extended out from the chest while the arms folded back in to take its place. The cannon locked into position as the wings slid down to the sides of the craft. The cockpit rose to the surface as the legs folded up, and the Eagle's claws extended from the same hinge. The wings slid over one another to streamline and the craft was off at full burn.

Impulse quickly formed with its Force Silhouette, and Luna put the engines on maximum output. The two Murasame that were ordered after the craft were quickly overtaken by Luna, and they let her pass. She fired two shots at the quickly moving craft, but they were off to the right too much. Her proximity alarm beeped as a mobile suit approached from behind. When she turned to look at it, it looked like a bird with a pointed beak and its claws extended. "What the hell is that?"

Eagle overtook Impulse just slightly and fired its main cannon. The shot went wide left. "The targeting system won't work at this range! And I can't…." He paused as he saw the familiar mobile suit to his right. "That's it!" Eagle quickly transformed back into mobile suit mode. As soon as it had arms, he grabbed onto Impulse's shield arm. He opened up a short-wave communication between them. "Shinn! I'll slingshot you up there! Just take him down!"

"Uh?" Luna gasped. "Who are you? How do you…?"

The video screen opened up in her cockpit. "Lunamaria?"

The girl looked like she had seen a ghost. "Y…you can't…."

"Hang on!" Adam gripped that one arm with both of his own and swung the girl around in a circle. "Now go!" He released and threw her straight for the ship.

The girl, though stunned, turned her weapon towards the shuttle and fired rapidly. Even through her targeting, she couldn't hit the ship, even though she tried again and again. Soon, it was too far away to hit. "Uh!" She squeaked as she saw it go.

"Damn it! We've failed." Adam pounded his console. Everyone knew it, too.

"Because our flagship has been eliminated, the Minerva shall now take charge of the fleet!" Talia called on all ZAFT channels. "Fire flares: red, green, blue! We shall retreat and reorganize!"

"Eh? Captain?" Arthru turned to her in complete amazement, something he was doing a lot of lately.

"The battle isn't going our way. We also can't seem to find the target. Because of these two factors, there is no reason in still fighting."

"But won't that… you know… go against the Chairman's orders?"

"The Chairman ordered Djibril to be secured. He didn't tell us to fight ORB!" That statement silenced him. "All pilots, return to ship! All units, withdraw to beyond the ORB territory and regroup!" The flares were sent up and all the pilots saw it.

Soga was the first to say anything in HQ. "They're pulling out?"

"That's Gladys' doing…." Cagalli let her voice fade out. "If they're retreating, then don't go after them. Make sure all units know that!"

"Ma'am!"

"Shinn!" Ray called to him as he backed away from his standoff with Freedom.

"Kgh!" Shinn gave one last look and snarl at Athrun before turning tail.

Athrun squinted, the effect of his SEED wearing off. His breathing was labored, and he was sweating a lot. In the end, it took him over, and he lost consciousness in the cockpit. Justice's beam saber deactivated, and the thrusters died. It began to fall towards the sea below. "Athrun!" Kira yelled as he made a nose dive for him. He caught the suit and put it over one shoulder. "Adam! Help me get him back to Archangel!" The Eagle swooped in from above and took the other arm.

The battle was over as the sun started to set, but the real fight was just beginning… the fight for survival, that is. "Medical and Secondary Cybernetics teams report to the Fuefuki Coastline."

"Flood the Ammo Bunker to put out the fires. Then deactivate it all, just in case fire breaks out again."

"Where does the volunteer chart go?"

"Just send it to Takatsukasa! They'll get it to everyone!"

"All defense teams should still stay alert on the coastlines! I know that! But right now we have no teams to send to you!"

"Try to find the injured in the more populated areas first! Continue to keep them in shelters for right now!"

"Djibril really was in that shuttle? If it's true, will ZAFT even listen?"

"No one wants to take the diplomatic route with ORB anymore, huh?"

Everyone was gathered around Justice's feet. "Athrun!" Kira yelled as he pulled the helmet off of the boy. He gasped hard as he saw the blood running down the blue-haired teen's face as he awoke.

Meyrin squeaked. "Athrun-san!"

"Kira." Athrun whispered as his best friend opened up his flight suit, only to find more blood.

"Stretcher, now! Get the medics, and hurry!"

As Kira and Meyrin left with the medical team, Adam took off his helmet and opened the cockpit. He got on the winch. "Huh?" It didn't move. He got off it and hopped on again. Still nothing. He jumped up and down on the foothold. Wouldn't budge. "Damn thing's busted. Oi! Could someone get me a ladder?"

"Hey, I know that voice!" Murdock looked up at the Eagle's cockpit. "So you're actually alive you cocky little bastard? Come down here so I can knock your lights out like you did to me!"

"Would love to Chief, but my winch is stuck! Could you bring me a mounting platform or something?"

Murdock cracked his knuckles. "Sure kid… I'd love to… but um… they're all being used at the moment! I'll get you one when it's free!" He began to walk away.

"All being used? Hey everyone's dismounted though!" Murdock just raised his hand in a wave. "Oi, get back here! OI!"

"So you're saying Djibril was in the shuttle?" Dullindal asked Talia from a viewscreen in her office as she made her report.

"It's unconfirmed, but it is a high likelihood of it being the case."

"Even so, you failed to capture him, and you were also defeated by ORB? Is that the way it is?"

"Yes." She said with a straight face as Arthur winced at the hurtful truth. "That is what this case shows. Archangel, Freedom, and what I believe was Justice joined the battle, along with a mobile suit that seems to use the same parts of Falcon which we have in our hold. It is due to their interruption that the tide turned against us. Towards that end, we could not determine if he was still residing in that country. If the fight had gone on, the battle would have become nothing but that of attrition."

"That so? "No, thank you, Captain Gladys. Understanding the circumstances, your decision was the right one."

"I only did what seemed wisest, sir."

"The shuttle investigation will be handled on this end." He put a hand to his chin and thought out loud. "Perhaps I should come up with a new strategy for negotiating with ORB?"

"I believe that would be a wise move. My report ends here, Chairman."

"Thank you for your expedient response. Dullindal out."

Lacus entered Athrun's medical chambers, where Kira and Meyrin were watching over him. The boy wrapped his arm around his love and held her close. "He'll be okay. He just needed another set of stitches is all."

"That's quite a relief." She whispered back.

"Meyrin, we'll watch over him for a while. Why don't you take a break?"

She shook her head. "I can't. He's in that bed because… because of me, he…."

"Because of you, he's not in a body bag." Kira kneeled down to her level. "Now comparing the two conditions, I'd say he's much better off with you than without you, ne? Go ahead and let us take over. He'll be here when you get back."

"Unh." She nodded reluctantly as she got up and went towards the door. She looked back one more time as Lacus sat down in the chair she was using before. Meyrin let the door shut in front of her. She sighed and decided to head to the mess hall for a drink. As she passed a deserted hallway two hands reached out and grabbed her hips. "YAGH!" She screeched quickly before two lips were placed against her own, taking her by total surprise. She shoved the attacker off and slapped him hard. "H… how dare you steal a kiss from a lady!"

"Ouch!" The attacker rubbed his cheek, and Meyrin's voice caught in her throat. "Well I wouldn't call it stealing a kiss, considering that I've been wanting to give that to you since we last parted." He stepped into the light, the criss-cross of his orange hair over his nose framed the smile on his lips.

"Y… you…. You're not real. Milly told me you're dead!"

"Well, I'm pretty sure I'm real. And seeing how you're slap did some damage, I'm nearly assured of it. Besides, Meyrin. Did you forget my promise to protect you as long as you needed it? Looks like you still need… GAH!" Adam was stopped short by another hard hit to the cheek.

"Where were you then? Where were you when I needed you? Where were you when Ray started shooting at me? Where were you when Shinn started blasting? Where were you when Athrun got so badly injured to save me?"

Adam's eyes widened, not knowing everything she had gone through until now. He looked away. "I don't know when those events were, but I was probably in chains."

"Ch… chains?"

"Captured and bound, right after the fight between Shinn and Kira. And the only thing I wanted was to leave and see you again."

"Do you know how many nights I cried myself to sleep because you were gone? How many times I considered joining you in the afterlife?" Two tears ran down her face.

"Meyrin…." Adam looked away. "I don't. Ever since I was taken, I don't know what has been going on. Everything's already gone to hell, and I have so many questions. Like why you're back on Archangel, and why Luna is in Impulse." He grabbed her shoulders. "I know I've been gone far too long, and I can't even begin to understand what you've gone through, but I'm going to try my best to m…."

Meyrin took her chance and pressed her lips against his as she stood on her toes. When she disconnected from him, she leaned into his chest. "Just shut up for a while and let me be glad you're back."

"Unh." He stroked her soft hair tenderly.

The girl balled her fists, gripping his shirt's back as she pressed herself harder into him. "Adam! Don't ever leave me again! If you do then I'll…." Her voice turned into cries as she let her tears of joy mix in with the tears of pain as she relived those events once again.

Neo rested his arm on the lookout's handrail as he watched the sun set behind the island mountains. "So this is where you've been hiding." Murrue walked up the steps to the lookout and joined him.

"Well it's not like I've got anywhere else to head to." He sighed as he looked out towards the sun. "Neo Lorrnoke. Birthday: C.E. 42, the 29th of November in North Luba of the Atlantic Federation. Blood Type: O."

"Eh?"

"Military enlistee in C.E. 60. Now in charge of the 81st Independent Task force, known as Colonel Phantom Pain. Well, that's what I should be. But for some reason, I'm not so sure anymore."

"Eh?"

His light blue eyes stared into hers with a serious look. "You're someone I know, possibly." The woman by his side could only blink. "Iie, I'm certain I do. They all know something about you… my arms, my ears, my eyes, that is. What are you to them? That's the reason I couldn't leave. I'm sure you're in pain. But… you're not the only one. So I ask of you… may I please stay here? With you?" Murrue still stayed speechless, and could only manage a nod. The blonde man pulled her into a tight embrace she could only melt into herself.

Athrun once again was doing the dumb thing in attempting to get up on his own. Meyrin came rushing in with a tray and some water. "Hey, are you all right?" She asked as she helped him up.

"You're better off not saying that to Athrun." Kira and Lacus entered. "Because the only thing he'll ever say is that he's okay."

"I have to agree." The pink-haired girl answered in turn.

"Uh… yeah…." Meyrin responded.

"I really am okay, you know." Athrun muttered.

"Sheesh, and I thought Shinn was supposed to be the stubborn one. Did some of his personality rub off on you or something, Daicho?"

"Uh?" Athrun changed target to the speaker, as Kira and Lacus turned around.

Adam was in the corner with his arms crossed. "Yo."

Athrun just smiled painfully, trying not to laugh. "You're just full of surprises, aren't you? That blue and brown unit yours?"

"Yep, that's my Eagle."

"Kira… who's this boy?" Lacus cocked her head.

"Oh that's right, you two haven't met. You had already gone to space by the time he came aboard." Kira scratched the back of his head. "This is Adam 'Ass Saver' Cancho."

"Ass Saver?" Everyone in the chamber echoed.

"Because he has this habit of saving everyone's ass." Kira laughed as Adam fell to the floor.

"C…Couldn't you have picked a better nickname?"

"Consider it payback for thinking you were dead."

"Well, all jokes aside…." Lacus approached him and offered her hand to him. "I am Lacus Clyne."

"One of two, I hear." Adam took the hand and shook it. "The question is…."

"Real one!" Everyone else yelled at him.

"… is nothing at all! Honor to meet you, Lacus-sama."

"Please, none of that! We are all friends on this boat. Lacus or Lacus-san will be fine. I'm not royalty."

Kira smiled. "Would you just look at us?"

"Hmm?" Lacus latched onto his arm again.

"Once again we're finally able to talk like this." Kira continued as Adam walked over to his love and placed a hand on her hip. "It's a natural thing during peaceful times that we take for granted far too much. It's amazing at the amount of joy we can get from something so simple."

"Kira…." Athrun let his voice die out.

"Is it okay if I tune in the TV? Cagalli will be putting out a statement soon."

"Eh? No, go ahead."

Kira pressed a button and the video feed switched on. "She said she's going to show all her intentions at the same time. Everything will fit together afterwards." Meyrin sat on the other bed while Adam sat on a chair backwards, resting his arms on the back.

"I am the Representative Emir of the United ORB of Emirates, Cagalli Yula Athha. Today, by the grace of all global media stations, I have a few announcements to make. First, the wrongs my fellow Parliament members will be righted, as I hereby repeal the law banning and extraditing all Coordinators from ORB. It was a rash and unnecessary decision that should not have been in existence in the first place."

"Yes!" Adam pumped his fist.

"Shhh!"

"Also, I have, for the one that demanded the handover of Lord Djibril from our country, PLANT's Supreme Council Chairman, Gilbert Dullindal, a message from our country." The Minerva crew's interest was piqued. "The speeches about Logos that Chairman Dullindal broadcast in recent weeks, as well as the information released at the same time, was truly rather shocking. Using phrases such as "Fire at Logos" or "the world without war". In these harsh times, his words do draw me in, as a politician and an individual member of society. However, that is something…." The video feed was losing its connection for some reason.

It soon became apparent that the global channels were taken over, because… "I am Lacus Clyne!" Athrun gasped while Kira and the real Lacus stood straight up.

"Cagalli!" Kisaka stood up.

"It's okay. Let's see what Dullindal's going to pull." She raised a hand to him.

"I'm sure that everyone knows of the battle at ORB recently." Dullindal's Lacus said.

"Okay, so she is the…." Adam scratched his head.

"Fake one!" Everyone but Lacus yelled at him.

"It is incomprehensible for a country such as ORB, who had the best of partnerships with PLANT, to protect a person such as Lord Djibril."

"Well Kira, it looks like I'll be going after all." Kira's Lacus spoke.

"Unh." He responded.

"Lacus?" Athrun looked to her questionably.

"Don't worry, Athrun. My mind is free of doubts as well." He was left to ponder her words as the couple left his room.

"He's Blue Cosmos's leader, the one who ordered a nuclear strike on PLANT, the one that used a massive weapon to level cities, and the one that even experimented with children to become fighting puppets! Why would ORB fight to protect someone so terrible? Since ORB defended him, his capture was once again left unfulfilled." Strike Freedom shot out of the catapult and headed for the mainland. "It is true there are many temptations that exist. To get better objects. To assure you get more for yourself. Indeed, these desires aren't always bad. But Logos is different from that! They are those that should not exist. They are an evil that should return to its realm of darkness. We must stop them from…." Her connection started to go as well as a hostile takeover from the other side began.

"I beg of you to not be tricked by that person's appearance." Lacus stood by Cagalli, as the second Lacus resided in her own inset on screen. Everyone in ZAFT turned to each other, trying to see if anyone knew what was going on.

"Okay… and that one is…."

"The real one!" Meyrin thwopped him in the back of the head.

"I am… Lacus Clyne." She turned from smiling at Cagalli, back to the camera.

Even Dullindal was slackjawed. "Impossible! Why is that girl in ORB?"

Chapter 31 Preview: The world wavers due to Lacus's words. But even worse are the flames of war that are fueled by the blackness of space. Those that want to believe will only hear what they want to hear. What will their choices be? And what has one seen that disturbs a nation? Next time on Old Friends Anew: Of Splitting the World / The Splitting of Worlds. ZAFT's future is in your hands, Gouf!


	31. Old Friends Anew Ch 31

Old Friends Anew

Phase-31: Of Splitting the World / The Splitting of Worlds

The world was confused by this new, yet familiar face and voice on the television as she continued to speak. "The one with my face, my voice, my name, and has been cooperating with Chairman Dullindal… I've known of her for some time." Mia, in her own inset box on the screen, gasped as she looked down at her script book, trying to find something that would help. "Though, I, Sigel Clyne's daughter, the one that joined with Archangel in the previous warring times, have remained with that ship and ORBs Representative Athha, and still do."

"This is…" Arthur and Abby stared at their screen, slackjawed.

"It's confirmed. The broadcast location is the ORB Parliament house." The blonde said back to him.

Mia was starting to waver, looking to her offscreen aides, who were unable to help her in this situation. Lacus continued her unscripted speech. "The two you see before you are not the same person, and what we believe also differs. That is the first message I wished to deliver today."

"Oi! Just what is all this, Yzak?" Dearka turned to his friend and comrade, who was remaining strangely silent.

"Uh… I…." Mia tried to muster up something.

"I am not a supporter of the words and actions of Chairman Dullindal." Lacus stopped her. The unprepared double began to panic, and Athrun had no choice but to look away. Ray lowered his brow in disgust at the screen.

"Cut our broadcast, now!" Dullindal ordered into his comm. system.

"Sir, um, but…."

"Just do it! We're being played for fools, just like they want!"

"Yes, sir."

"Taey!" Dullindal grunted as he sat back again. This was not going as planned.

"The ones who fight aren't wrong. The ones who have chosen not to aren't wrong." Mia's picture vanished from screen, and the transmission wavered as the ORB communication completely took over. "The ones in the wrong are and will always be those that draw others into a fight. The dealers of death, Logos. That is certainly what the Chairman has said, but is it true?"

From the moon base, Djibril laughed heartily. "Well, isn't this something?"

"Is it the truth? It's not the Naturals, it's not the Coordinators, but only Logos and the state of the world is at fault?" As she continued, her double had collapsed to her knees in panic and shock. "I ask of you not to be deceived into walking into the 'It's not your fault' trap."

"This works out perfectly." Djibril flashed a cunning smile. "Why don't we give her a call?"

"Please do not misunderstand me, for it is not my intention to defend Djibril."

"Uh?"

"In fact, I am appalled at his acts, but I do not believe in Dullindal's words either. Before deciding, we should learn more about Chairman Dullindal's true intentions." And with that, the video feed was cut. Dullindal grunted again.

Lacus's message left Earth and PLANT in chaos. "What the hell is going on?"

"When where there two Lacus Clynes? Hell, WHY are there two Lacus Clynes?"

"She's a fake!"

"No, but, ORB is…."

"That one is real!"

"But if that's so, then Chairman Dullindal…."

A familiar face jumped onto the nearest supply container and yelled to the crowd in front of her. "What are you all talking about?"

"Uh? Connie?" The people in front of her turned around to look at her.

"ZAFT isn't the enemy here! Logos and the EAF are the ones we're against! ORB's their ally, right?"

"Ah, you're right." A man laid a hand on the young girl's shoulder.

"Papa?"

"So… who were the ones that oppressed us? Also, who were the ones that removed that oppression? Don't tell me you've all forgotten!"

"Yeah, that's right!"

"ORB joined the EAF!"

"As if anything that comes from their mouths is truth!"

"That's correct. I want another shuttle prepped, post-haste!" Dullindal ordered one of his aides as Mia approached.

"I… I sincerely apologize. I… well… I…." As she looked up at him, the taller man shot her a look that she couldn't place and she froze.

Dullindal's eyes softened quickly and forced out a small smile. "Well, that was quite an accident back there. I'm sure you were taken off guard, but I was too. I should be the one to apologize." His smile wasn't really a comfort to the girl. "Just how did it come to this? But now, our plans will have to be altered a little."

"Eh? But then…."

"What? There's nothing to worry about. But I think it would be best if you went into hiding for a little while, until this blows over."

"Eh? Um… but that would mean…."

"It's not like I'm going to hurt you or anything. You've done a great service for us all." Though he smiled, Mia gasped as she remembered Athrun's warning. "Because of you, the world is nearly saved. No one, not even I, will ever forget that. So please go for now, and I'll call when you can come back to the people."

"Well then, Lacus-sama…." Her newly assigned female aide got her attention.

"Uh? Yeah…." Mia's wrist was taken and tugged away from the Chairman.

"I'll be heading to Messiah, same as usual." Dullindal turned to one of his own men. "Has anything been reported about movements on the moon?"

"No, sir. We've yet to receive anything."

"That so? Even so, there are too many surprises in this world. But it's far too late now, since we've already come all this way."

"This isn't some sort of prank!" Youlan said from his seat.

"Yeah, no kidding. Just what is this?" Another of his crewmates stared at the now blank screen.

"Even if one is denounced a fake, then they'll deny it."

Ray walked away from the lounge, a look of irritation etched into his face. Luna noticed it before Shinn, but the boy was the first to follow.

"Um… Captain…." Arthur said to the woman as she entered the bridge.

"Don't even try!" She shot back. "I haven't got a clue either. But if one thing is true around here, it's that Lacus Clyne isn't in our chain of command."

"Ah."

"We're not getting ordered around by her. That job belongs to…." She was silenced by Abby's beeping terminal.

"It's from Fleet HQ."

"Eh?"

"Once Minerva returns to Carpentaria, she will launch to space and rendezvous with the lunar fleet when preparations have been completed."

"N… now we're going to head to space? Just like that?" Arthur's brain was starting to sizzle.

"Ray!" Shinn called him. "Ray, hold up!"

"What now?" He said quickly as Luna and Shinn arrived at his location.

"Eh? Well, you see… Ray, what's your opinion about the Lacus Clyne in ORB?"

"'Your opinion'? Just what do you mean? If you're asking me if she's attractive, don't you have someone else to eye?"

"No… I was just…."

"Wondering which one is the real one?" Luna saved him quickly after remembering her spy mission with Adam.

"You two got sucked in as well? Bakabakashi!" Ray turned away and the others followed. "They're intention is probably to confuse us just like the way they're doing to you two. But everyone is worried about the truth as well. It's a rather cunning example of psychological warfare, isn't it? But why? Why are people worried about it? Is it because the real one is considered good and the fake evil? I don't think of it in any scenario."

"Ray…."

"The Chairman is correct. That's all I need to know." The blonde stated as he entered the pilot lounge.

The two other pilots just stared at him. "Shinn." Luna brought his attention back to the surface as they both stepped into the same lounge.

The red-eyed Coordinator sat down. He closed his eyes for a second, and saw Justice coming straight for him. "Agh!" He put his head down and ruffled his hair in frustration.

"Shinn!" Luna was instantly at his side.

"There are other things we have to worry about that are more important, anyway." Ray said as he put a laptop on the coffee table.

"Eh?" Luna sent a confused gaze while Shinn raised his head from the cold surface of the table.

"Freedom… and also… Athrun Zala."

"A…Athrun?" Luna and Shinn jolted up.

"Ah…."

"By 'Athrun', what do you mean?" She asked in confusion and anticipation, partially to Shinn, but also through him to Ray.

"It seems he's alive, and is on the Archangel." Ray continued to type without looking up.

"EH?" Luna's eyes burst open wider than ever before.

Ray accessed the file he was looking for and turned the screen to face her. "He was piloting this unit." A picture of Infinite Justice was the one accessed.

"Then… Meyrin might be…?"

"Uh!" Shinn gasped. He hadn't thought of that possibility.

"Could Meyrin be alive too?"

"Well, that's indeterminate. But if she's alive, then it's a good chance she's on that ship."

Luna's knees went weak and she sat on the table quickly before she fell. "If Meyrin is… then could he also…."

"Hmm?" Ray looked up from the computer.

"No… it couldn't possibly be. That was a separate… but…."

"Lunamaria, do you have something to share with us?" Ray watched her with a cold stare.

"I think… Adam is alive too."

"Uwa?" Shinn shot up like he had been struck by lightning. "You've got to be joking! Luna, that's not funny!"

"Ray… can I see that computer for a second?" Luna asked as her trembling hand pulled a disc out of her pocket.

"Ah…." He said, not reacting to the news as he handed it over.

Luna inserted the disk and loaded up the media player. "I took this off of Impulse's data recorder. This happened just after I was sortied to go after that shuttle." She flipped the screen around and pressed play.

"_Shinn! I'll slingshot you up there! Just take him down!"_

"_Uh? Who are you? How do you…?"_

_The video screen opened up. "Lunamaria?"_

At that point she paused the playback and shot a side glance to the screen while rubbing her arm. "That's the face I saw."

"The voice doesn't match. I'm surprised you were so easily fooled, Lunamaria." Ray sighed and crossed his arms.

"But his face is the same. Ray, he knew my name! He knew Shinn's name! Who else other than Adam would know that he originally piloted Impulse?"

"Well that could be…"

"Luna…." Shinn trembled. "What was he piloting?"

"The blue and brown mobile suit that used Falcon's Comet Cone." She answered, and the boy gasped extremely hard. "Shinn!"

"I fought… with him?"

"Oh, Shinn…."

"But then..." He jolted again as his mind took him back to the Destroy battle, and the Murasame that flew with him. "Back then too? The yellow Murasame?" He grabbed his chest and doubled over as the memory of his battle with Freedom re-surfaced. It was a double whammy for him, considering that Freedom was now back. "He was… there too?" He slumped down, still in shock. He didn't even have the strength to speak. 'Then what Meyrin told me before I… it can't be true, can it? The Chairman can't be….'

"Shinn." Ray said suddenly as he took the laptop away from Luna. "Remember what I said before. That thing is just spare parts. If this truly is Adam, then he is also only a fragment of what he once was. If he was the same, then he would have never fired upon you or me." He hit the delete key, and the screen went black. "Remember that."

Meyrin, after a long time searching, finally found Adam in the hangar, typing on the maintenance terminal in front of it. "Ah, there you are!"

"Stop right there!" He said, not looking up from his console. "If you're going to come closer, move three steps to the left first, then come straight ahead. Don't angle towards me."

"Uh… unh." She nodded as she obeyed until she heard something twang.

"Hit the deck!" He yelled to her.

She dove to the floor right as a rubber mallet swung down from the ceiling, missing her head by inches. "Wh… what was that?"

"A trap. Sorry, I forgot that your gait is shorter than mine. I should have said four steps to the left, not three."

"Why is there a trap here?" She pushed the mallet out of the way and finally made it to his side.

"Traps plural. The engineers I knocked out so I could launch the Murasame to help Kira set these. Boy do they carry a grudge! It's not like I was using real bullets on them. Fortunately, when you get to be a prankster, you can notice traps. I'm kind of surprised you missed that one, Meyrin."

"My range of vision is limited with my hair down. I'm thinking of putting it back up again soon. Any thoughts?"

"You know that I think you're pretty no matter how you wear your hair. I've noticed that a lot of the crew has been checking you out since you've had it down, but I personally think you look cuter with pigtails."

"Well then, up it is. Now that that's out of the way, just what are you doing?"

"I've been accessing Eagle's memory core. There was something I saw on my way to the battle that I wanted to go back and analyze a bit more."

"How much you got left to do? I want to head to dinner with you."

"I've actually been done for a while now."

"Then why don't you come with me?"

He turned to her with tears in his eyes. "Because if I move that sandbag will fall on my head." He pointed up.

In the darkness of space, a large tube was being escorted by multiple EAF battlegroups. "Gounod has another 20 minutes until it reaches the scheduled point." From the Inter-Orbital Omnidirectional Strategic Cannon EAF base on the far side of the moon, one of the officers reported.

"All Requiem generators are running at 85 of capacity. Numbers 23 through 55 have already reached critical level."

"Power flow is good. Mirror-surface super reflector, critical deviation change to three one two nine."

"Starting up the G-R backup cooling unit. Bypasses linked successfully."

The commander of the base sat back and lowered his hat over his eyes. "So are you really going to fire this thing?"

"Most definitely." Djibril answered him from his side. "That's why I'm up here, after all."

"That sounds promising. It pleases me to hear you say that. Since then all our hard work will be of use, even in such a remote location."

"Eh?"

"Recently, after allowing construction and investing all the money to build this thing, there were far too many weak politicians that wouldn't fire it at the right time. So why were we here anyway? That's what we thought."

"Heh. I'm not cowardly like the President, and I'm not an idealistic dreamer like Dullindal. When the time is right, I'll pull the trigger, so I can protect."

"I see now."

"Sorry we're late." Kira said as he and Lacus entered the Archangel's bridge. "Eh… what happened to you, Adam?"

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it." Adam sat in one of the spare seats while Meyrin held an ice pack onto the large lump on his head. "Ow!"

"Sorry, sorry." His girlfriend bowed.

"Okay, I've got Cagalli on the line from her chambers in the ORB Parliament building, patching her in now. I've also got Athrun connected from sickbay." Milly pressed a button and their faces popped up on screen.

"Well, looks like we're all here now." Murrue surveyed the bridge. "Adam, what's this all about?"

"Well." The boy stood up and took control of the ice pack and the floor. "When I was on my way to ORB with Eagle, I passed rather close to an EAF base. They didn't scramble on me or anything, but I did notice something unusual. A few moments ago I went back to the data recorder and reviewed it. I think you guys should see this for yourself." He handed a disk to the sandy brunette. "Would you please call this up, Miriallia?" On the screen popped up an image of the sky. "You two getting this, Cagalli? Athrun?"

"Ah…" Athrun grunted as he sat up.

"Yeah, I see it." The golden blonde responded.

"Okay, roll playback." On screen, from a peninsula that was coming into view, six jet streams and one rocket trail launched into the sky. The video magnified twice, to show a blue and black battleship heading to space, with six atmospheric escorts. "Okay, pause it. That's the same ship that dropped on me the day I got Falcon."

"Bogey-1!" Cagalli and Athrun both spoke in unison.

"Right. That's the call sign it was given on Minerva. It was also the one that carried the stolen Gundams."

"Uh, for the record… the ship's name is Girty Lue." Neo raised his hand and everyone stared at him. "What? I was the commander on that ship."

"So… you're the one that ordered me shot down?" Adam raised his eyebrow.

"Eh heheh. Guilty as charged." He scratched the back of his head.

"Well anyway, it looks like it was heading back into space. Why? I don't really know."

"Since everyone's eyes were on ORB at the time, they probably took the chance to sneak it back to space." Murrue put a knuckle to her lip.

"Hmm?" Kira tilted his head. "Miriallia, could you zoom in on sector D7 some more?"

"I can try. Give me a moment." The girl began typing.

"Kira?" Athrun asked.

"Did you see it Athrun? It's right in D7."

"Uh? Ah!" Athrun squinted at the picture.

"Okay, here we go. Enhanced and cleaned." Sector D7 began moving in for a close up. Something that looked like the head of a squid was pointing forward from the sides of the ship.

"What is that?" Neo pointed.

"You don't know?" Kira turned towards him.

"I know it wasn't on her before! And I don't think that's a part of the booster either!"

"Well I suppose that would explain those readings." Adam clutched his chin as he thought out loud.

"What readings?" Lacus picked up the topic.

"When I scanned that thing it was heavy, really heavy. A heck of a lot heavier than when it tried to land on my head. And before you say it… yes I did remember to take out the booster in my calculations."

"Are those stats on the disk?" Neo asked quickly.

"Um yeah. Milly, could you…."

"Already on it." The data entry for Bogey-1 popped up.

Neo squinted at the weight and mass readings. "That doesn't make any sense! Considering the size of the new equipment, it would have to be as dense as a ball of plasma to get such a high mass limit. They must be carrying something in the hangar."

"Mobile suits?" Murrue was the one who asked.

"No… When the kid scanned us the first time, we had three mobile suits and one mobile armor. We could fit eight mobile suits at one time and it was no where near this weight. Just what are they carrying?"

"I don't know. I just wanted to let you know that that ship is back in space, and about that weight anomaly. Might be of some use later."

"Well thank you for reporting this to us, Adam." Murrue put a hand on his shoulder. "We do need to know about everyone's movements since things have been so hectic. We'll take this new development into consideration next time we meet. Until then, everyone is dismissed."

"Hai."

"Adam, sometime in the next day or so, could you swing by the Athha mansion?" Cagalli asked. "I've got to talk to you for a bit."

"Sure. I'll let you know when I'll be able to come after I check my schedule."

"Great. Athha out." Her screen blipped off.

"Adam, ready to hit the cafeteria?" Meyrin was moving to the elevator.

"In a second. Just hang on." He said as he went to Milly's station with a slip of paper. "Hey Miriallia, do you think you could send the data on that disk through this frequency?"

"Eh? Is this even a working freq?"

"It is. You see, the guys that made Eagle have a few resources that Terminal might not have. They might be able to find out what the Girty Lue is hauling."

"Do you trust them?" She shot him a questioning look.

"With my life." He nodded back. "And thanks." He switched his target to his girlfriend. "Okay, now I'm ready. Sorry to make you wait."

In space around the Gounod tube, the ZAFT forces arrived. A dark gray Zaku Phantom and a white Gouf launched from one ship with the rest of their forces only to have Windams sortie against them. "Tch. Just like they said, there's a lot of them." Yzak stated.

"Ah. But how come they're in such a weird place?" Dearka asked as the opposing battleships began to open fire.

"Who knows? Who cares? But it doesn't look like they're the Welcome Wagon. Let's move!"

"Yeah." All forces broke formation and began their assault. A Windam was the first victim, as Dearka's rifle discharged straight into it. Yzak's Gouf whipped out its sword and sliced up another. He didn't stop there, as he dove straight into another formation of MS and split one at the waist. After a quick turn around, the gattling cannon on the white mecha's cuff shot off its blasts into a space-modified Euclid armor, which spread its beam shield to defend. That didn't discourage the angry teenage commander, as he dove straight for it cutting off its head, and the cockpit.

"So there's military movement in Sector 12?" Dullindal asked one of his aides in the shuttle.

"Yes. Since it's beyond our normal patrol routes, we weren't able to detect them until recently. An O'Neill-type colony saw it first, and reported its slow movements."

"Is it targeting PLANT?"

"Though it's moving quite slowly at the moment and it is still quite a distance away, yes. We've sent both the Jule and Chanice squads out as a precautionary measure, and are now engaged with the escorts."

"Very well. Make this the highest priority. I want reports every hour on this."

"Hai."

"Hmm." Dullindal leaned back in his seat and let free a small smile.

The cylinder's reverse thrusters fired in spurts, slowing the craft to a halt. "Gounod is in position." An officer reported at the base.

"It's stopping?" Yzak took a quick look at the massive thing. "In this remote area?"

"The Fauré and Czerny have stable orientations. Field deployment complete." Another officer confirmed.

"It was quite ingenious of you to name these after such wonderful composers." Djibril spoke to the commander.

"Oh? Are you a fan of theirs?"

"Of course. Of their Requiem tunes, that is."

"Requiem generators, activating. 480 seconds until the critical mark."

"What in the world? Just what are they trying to accomplish?" Dearka defended himself while he noticed the same thing as Yzak.

"I've got no idea. Whatever it is, we'll have to stop it now! Can you make it to the engine?"

"Ah!" The two former Gundam pilots closed in on the tube's outer shell.

Dullindal's shuttle began its approach to the Messiah base. "Jesseck is here, right?" He asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Tell him to get me a report on the moving object from before. Have we gotten anything new?"

"Apparently not. Since we don't know their motive, I've ordered the Jule squad to immobilize it."

"Unh. Smart move."

"All escorts move to a safe distance beyond the firing area." The entire EAF battlegroup broke off their attacks.

"So what's the target?" The base commander turned to the last remaining Logos member.

"Isn't it obvious? Aprilius, PLANTs governmental colony. We're not firing a warning shot!"

"Target: PLANT Capital Colony, Aprilius!"

A large circular panel in the Moon base rotated down and out of the way, leaving a dark pit of a hole open. "Inputting coordinates: Aprilius. Final safety lock, released. All generators set to the critical point. First Movement, preparations complete." Another of the tube-like colonies lined up above the pit. "Requiem System has a firing solution. SHIA released. Countdown started. Time until fire, T minus 35 and counting."

Dearka's backpack opened up and he foxed all his missiles at the colony. His Zaku Warrior troops threw explosive canisters at the same target. One of the engines was destroyed, but the explosion, in comparison to the enormity of the colony, was nothing.

"Release the trigger!" The commander ordered.

A handheld device emerged from a panel by his station, and Djibril took it. "Now, Dullindal. Allow me to perform for you the requiem that will end your kind!" He pressed the index trigger three times to unlock the safety, and pushed his thumb into the final button.

From deep inside the moon, the SHIA system shot a giant green beam encased in an orange energy field through the deep pit and into space. The moment it entered through the first tube, the beam curved hard. "A large burst of energy has been detected from the far side of the moon! Th…this is…." Dullindal watched the screen in shock as the others reported to him.

The powerful weapon reached another tube colony, and once again, it curved, targeting the Gounod. Yzak froze, looking at the brightness of the massive energy. "YZAK!" Dearka yelled in his ear.

"Everyone scatter!" He yelled as he dove away from the colony. The destructive wave went through the tube, and space rippled around the edges as the attack turned in a new direction. "Just what the hell is that?"

"The beam's bending itself?"

Then the target became apparent to them all, and both friends' voices caught. A PLANT was pierced by the energy like it was a hot knife through butter. As the beam slid, it sliced through it and another colony in the same row as if it was nothing at all. The damage was total. The atmosphere inside those colonies were sucked out in a violent whirlwind that lifted up everything, including the innocent people walking through the cities. The district panels fell apart, destroying everything on them. The massive eruption of air from one of the colonies propelled its upper half to swing towards yet another PLANT. As the two sections collided, the surfaces rippled before tearing each other apart. Millions upon millions were lost to the devastation. This was worse than Bloody Valentine. This was more horrid than the Break the World incident. This was mass genocide. Dullindal balled his fist and put on his angriest face. "Just what the hell is this? Where did that come from? Answer me! What the hell just happened?"

"Januarius-1 through 4 have taken direct hits!" The damage report came in. "December numbers 7 and 8 have been destroyed due to collisions with Januarius 3 and 4!"

"What? Januarius?" Djibril leaned forward. "Explain!"

"Sir. Gounod's firing angle was off by a small margin. Most likely it was due to the combat around it."

"Tch! I can't believe we missed Aprilius!"

Yzak's normally loud voice could only manage a whisper as he watched excess energy hop from one side of the tube to the other. "Wh… what was…?"

"Januarius has… and December as well?" Dearka was in the same exact position.

"KUSSO!" Yzak slammed his fists into his console.

"Shooting from the far side of the moon…. Who could have suspected they'd use something so demonic?"

"Dearka! We're taking this thing down right now! If they fire another shot, then PLANT will be completely obliterated! THIS THING DIES NO MATTER WHAT!"

"YES, SIR!" The entire battle group turned their weapons towards the ship.

Dearka emptied his rifle into the closest EAF battleship. Yzak took out a Windam that tried to get in his way with his gattling gun. He pulled out the heavy whip in his arm and slashed through the bridge of another battleship. The Nazca-class ZAFT ships concentrated all their beams and missiles on the large target, causing explosions all across its surface. All the Gunner Zaku Warriors in the squadron set to a special pattern and let their multiphasic beams fly simultaneously. They all combined into one massive attack that sliced through an outside panel. The whole colony tube fell apart, never to be used against PLANT again.

"CAPTAIN! Get up here now!" Arthur yelled. Talia ran out of her quarters at full bore, almost forgetting her hat before she left.

"Captain Ramius!" Miriallia barreled towards the woman outside of the ship. "PLANT's been attacked! Januarius and December have…."

"Eh? PLANT was…?"

In Athrun's room once again, the TV turned on only to show the pictures of what was left of the colonies. "Aagh!" Meyrin squeaked drawing her hand to her mouth. Athrun, Lacus, and Kira all were speechless as they observed the scene.

Adam pulled his beloved against him. "Don't look at it, Meyrin!" He pressed her head into his chest. "Damn it… who did this?" The girl broke his grip in desperation and dove for the nearest trash receptacle and deposited freshly eaten dinner into it.

An ORB Parliament meeting had been going on when it occurred, and everyone was there to see when Cagalli began to tremble. Of course, everyone else was in the same state.

Fllay's jaw dropped and she let out a long breath before she took it in again. "Has everyone forgotten about what happened two years ago already?"

There was a knock on her door before Appolly let himself in. "Ma'am, we just received a transmission on the special channel and… oh my God." He stopped as he saw the scene.

"Let's just hope they believed in him before they died." She said, her eyes not moving from the screen.

When Gladys finally made it to the bridge, her entire crew was staring at the video screen. "How did this happen?" She panted.

"Uuhhh!" Shinn's voice wouldn't come out. His situation was the same as Luna, who gripped his arm firmly, and everyone else in the lounge, save one.

"That was Januarius…?"

"That's… impossible!"

"Januarius? No! MAMMA, NO!" One girl screeched before she collapsed.

"Why is…? How could this…?" Shinn couldn't even finish the sentence.

"Djibril, I'm guessing." Ray spoke, extremely calm as he accessed a computer terminal. "The shot came from the far side of the moon, but we were only keeping an eye on Arzachel Base on the front. I never thought they'd have something so devastating at Daedalus."

Shinn and Luna looked over his shoulders. The girl was the one to go first. "But why? The back of the moon? They can't shoot from there, can they? How'd they manage…?"

"You studied the mobile suits of the first war, correct? It appears that they put oversized versions of the Geschmeidig Panzer, like the ones installed in the Forbidden, into abandoned cylindrical colonies. When the beam passed through them, it acted like a secondary barrel, firing off the attack again in a different direction so it wouldn't lose its destructive speed."

"No way…." Shinn whispered.

"With such a system, it's possible for this one stationary cannon to target any place wished by matching the positions of the retargeting. Not only that, but it can take multiple routes to get there and still not lose its destructive force. And even then, you can't know which colony to destroy, because the ones on the end could be decoys, and the target would be at the one before it. We wouldn't be able to attack all of them simultaneously, because their thick armor and sheer size. It's a hellish technique."

"No way…." Shinn clenched his fist tighter. "How could they just…."

"We're at fault for this, because Djibril got away."

"Because Djibril got away?" Shinn echoed. "That's not our…!"

"Regardless of all else, he needed to die back then if we were to prevent this tragedy."

Less than an hour later, Minerva was out of dry dock with boosters latched onto its wings. "All stations report ready for launch!" Arthur steadied his voice.

"Abby, shipwide announcement." The captain ordered.

"Attention. Attention. Prepare for a message from Captain Gladys." Meyrin's replacement spoke. She covered her microphone. "Go ahead, Captain."

She picked up the phone in her armrest. "I'm sure everyone here has gotten very tired of having to fight battle after battle with little rest. But now is a critical time for all! If we don't give everything we have now, then our homes won't be there when we return! Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am!" The entire ship echoed with the crew's voice.

"Engines to full! Minerva, launch!" The ship advanced in the water until it reached takeoff speed. Once its tail was out of the wetness, the boosters ignited and began propelling the ship towards the stars.

The bridge crew, all the pilots, as well as Meyrin, Lacus, and Cagalli, were gathered on the bridge once again. "It's the same…." Athrun said, looking at the floor. "The same as the events surrounding GENESIS. Now there's nothing we can do to stop it."

"Unh." Kira sighed. "Obviously PLANT doesn't want that to happen again, but they don't realize that no one else wants that either!"

"But… to counterattack after being attacked, and then them counterattacking again will once again lead to a fighting chain." Lacus held the notebook from Mendel to her chest. "We can't end it now."

Not a sound was heard from anyone for a while. "What are you saying?" Adam whispered. "Any chain can be broken. It needs to be forced apart at the critical link, is all. Am I right?" There was no answer. "Come on! Aren't I right on this one?" Still no one said anything. "You did it once before didn't you?" …. "Damn it, answer me!"

"The circumstances are different now, Adam. Yes, everyone wishes to live a life of happiness. Yes, we go to war because we think fighting will further that goal. But the Chairman most likely plans to reveal a new path to this world that's tired of fighting. Dullindal's definition of a world without war… where no one will ever fight with one another… is one where life is determined by genes."

Everyone was pulled out of their solemn moods and took to surprised ones. "Genetics?" Murrue was the first to question it.

"That's what the Destiny Plan is." Kira looked to everyone in turn.

"A place where a person's role in life is predetermined at birth?" Adam tried to wrap his brain around it.

"And those who go against the system get screened, adjusted, and controlled." Athrun understood it easily, since he was of no use to the Chairman and ordered "controlled."

"Screened and adjusted?" Meyrin was in the same boat as Adam.

"True that in a world like that, people will be able to know themselves and their futures and can live without worrying about suffering."

"But in the end…." Kira continued Athrun's thought. "They can only live life only as far as what has been destined for them. To gain all the power we wanted, our hands dug into the roots of humanity, our genes. This is the ultimate world for Coordinators."

"There probably won't be war in that world." Lacus took up the statement. "That's because everyone will know the futility of fighting, predicted by destiny."

"So what will he be in a world like that?" Neo asked. "King? Emperor?"

"Destiny would be the ruler. Genetics." Murrue answered him. "Maybe the High Priest?"

"Futility…." Athrun whispered.

"Is it really?" Kira answered him.

"You don't do things that are futile, then?" Neo smiled with a joking face.

"I'm not one to give up so easily!" Athrun growled. "And that's not something defined by genes!"

"Just as I thought." Kira relaxed and smiled.

"I'm the same." Cagalli spoke up quickly.

"Same with me… I guess." Neo looked to Ramius.

"Yep. With me as well." She sent a soft smile his way.

"Unh." Meyrin nodded.

"Personality isn't made from genes, it's from experiences." Adam spoke. "Say if a boy is determined to be a farming type, but wants to be a reporter. When he attempts to be what he wants, he's snuffed out as an individual, and the world never hears of it? I don't want to be stuck in an Isaac Asimov novel. Count me in!"

"Let's go to space, Athrun!" Kira approached the recovering teen.

"Kira!"

"The Chairman needs to be stopped. Our future isn't one made by a scientific destiny."

"Ah!" Athrun held his hand out to the boy, and his best friend gripped it accordingly.

Adam put his hand in with theirs. "For life."

"For choices." Neo added his hand to the mix.

"For love." Meyrin's appendage also appeared on the pile.

"For hope." Cagalli also added her hand.

"For freedom." Murrue was a welcome addition.

"For humanity." Lacus was the last.

"Gichou, we're coming for you, so you'd better get ready!" Adam pumped his free fist into the air.

"Yeah!" The others echoed.

"AACHOOOOO!" Dullindal was roused from his nap in the command chair of Messiah due to his resounding sneeze.

"Are you all right sir?" One of his aids pulled out a hankie.

"I'm fine. Bring me my chess board, would you?" He said before he blew his nose quietly.

"Here you are sir." The man came back with a tray with his half finished game on it.

"Thank you." The long-haired man lifted up one of the crystalline nights. "So, how many times will I have to put you back on the board?" He paused a video feed of Eagle on a nearby screen. "Eh, Blue Knight?"

Chapter 32 Preview: The ordinary days are far behind us. The ones that weren't able to be saved… It cannot be allowed again. Weakness fulfills nothing. If you regret, and use it as anger, what is it you confront? Who is it you attempt to save, even if it's just one life? Next time on Old Friends Anew: The Stagnant Epilogue Becomes the Prelude of Change. Race against time, enemies, and hatred, Eagle!


	32. Old Friends Anew Ch 32

Old Friends Anew

Phase-32: The Stagnant Epilogue Becomes the Prelude of Change

"Everyone please remain calm! There's enough shuttles for everyone!" A ZAFT soldier in a PLANT close to the carnage yelled into the crowd.

"Calm my ass! They're still aren't done with their attack, right?" Someone yelled out.

"I cannot confirm or deny that question."

"Then you can't deny my panic! Now get this line moving!"

"Yes, how could they do that with no warning?" A woman in the crowd wailed.

In the Messiah command center, Dullindal was audio conferencing with his fellow Chairmen. "The cities are in a total panic! We aren't going to be able to do anything to control them!"

"I already know that!" Dullindal said back quickly. "But that's your job, right? Just do it and worry about the rest later!"

The far side of the moon was quite active. "The ZAFT fleet is on the move!" An officer reported to Djibril and the base commander. "Heading Yellow 1-3-6 Alpha!"

"So they're heading our way. Be quick about getting Requiem recharged!" The commander ordered. "Is the Requiem's second movement in position?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Make sure it's defended!" Djibril hissed. "Aprilius needs to be taken down with this shot!"

Messiah was buzzing with human discussion. "We need more people supplied to the rescue operations!"

"Can't be done. Destroying the reflection colonies needs to come first!"

"Look, I understand that already!" Dullindal raised his voice over the clatter, even though the phone was right in his ear. "Then what will happen if they start shooting again while that's in progress?"

The person on the other end of the line paused. "There must be a way to negotiate a cease-fire."

"A cease-fire? With what nation? Terrorists don't take negotiations! So you're just saying we should give in to their attacks?"

Even the near side of the moon, Arzachel EAF base, was in a clamor. "8th Mobile Fleet, taking off. All hands, go to second level battle status. Defense formation Quebec, Zulu, November."

The Daedelus far side base was communicating with them. "Yosh, we'll send out the 3rd fleet too. We'll have to create the perfect defense around Fourier!" From both sides of the moon, a massive launch was made as the EAF battleships took to space.

"Tell Gondwana that we're on our way!" Yzak snarled at his communications officer.

"Sir!"

"We definitely can't let them hit PLANT again!"

In the darkness of the early morning, Archangel still was awake, taking on supplies and mobile suits. "Akatsuki will be moved to the fourth hangar bay. Maintenance crews should stand by there."

"Hey don't forget about getting the packs changed!" Murdock shook his fist at the PA system.

Athrun and Adam were working on the calibrations on the systems to their mobile suits. "Meyrin, could you read me back the modification codes to the thruster controls?" The orange-haired teen asked his girlfriend without looking up from his console.

Meyrin, wanting to help in this project, searched through her electronic pad. "Here we go, 10337 and 27586."

"Thanks."

"Athrun." Kira approached the trio. "Let me give you a hand. Lacus and I finished Freedom early."

"No thanks, I've got this one."

"Geez." Kira slipped in front of the boy and bumped him out of the way. "You're still healing, so you should rest more often and actually take help from others, you know." The Coordinator with the violet-eyes began typing.

Athrun sighed. "Sorry for the trouble." He gave in and sat on a nearby crate.

"What needs to be done? How are the electronic sequencers?"

"I was working on Procedure Two."

"Got it. While it's running, I'll take care of the reactor sensitivity."

"I finished that one already. But the sensors could use a bit of a tweak. There's a bit of a gray overlap on the back of the head."

"I'll see what I can do." Kira turned back to the console and typed with one hand.

"Amazing…." Meyrin whispered. "Kira-san, you're really fast!"

"It just takes practice is all."

"Meyrin, I'll need the Quantum Interface pathway again, sorry." Adam apologized quickly.

"You forget that one so easily. I memorized it right away." She raised one eyebrow.

"That's because you're trained in intelligence gathering."

Athrun sighed and looked up to the ceiling high above them. "I wonder what's happening in PLANT…."

"Unh." Kira responded softly. "ZAFT will probably be able to stop further attacks on PLANT."

"Ah."

"It's rough, isn't it? Since we can't really do anything at the moment."

"Ah."

"Meyrin, you're parents still live in PLANT, right?" The boy turned to her. "I hope none of your family was hurt."

She shook her head. "My family lives on Augustis. They were far enough out of danger that time. I'm just worried about the mobs now."

"Well, that's something to be relieved about at least." Adam let out a sigh.

"I feel kind of guilty though." Meyrin put the pad to her chest. "I mean they're going through something really terrible up there and yet we're technically their worst enemy right now."

"What's funny is how the sides have changed." Adam pressed enter and turned around, leaning on the back of the console as he stared at nothing in thought. "Cagalli actually sent me to Minerva because she trusted them. And then we do all this good. Liberating slave laborers, freeing a village of carnage and oppression, ridding the world of a base that experimented on human children, and what happens?"

"We wind up being on the wrong side." Athrun clenched his fists.

"Ah. You defected and Meyrin joined in while I was captured by a third party and ended up switching sides anyway. It's kind of ironic when you think about it."

On path around the Moon, the Minerva propelled itself towards the closest ZAFT base, which was still a ways off. "Haven't we gotten anything from HQ yet?" Arthur leaned on Abby's station.

"Just a moment, please." She responded. "It's completing transmission now. Uh? But this thing… it's a special mission code."

"Eh?" The captain got up.

"'The Lunar Fleet around the Gondwana base have already engaged the enemy in a fight for control of the Fourier relay point.'" Arthur read back what was pulled up on the screen. "' Minerva will scrap its rendezvous plans and direct itself towards the main enemy base'? EH?" The man stepped back.

"Abby, call the pilots up here right now." The captain ordered.

"Yes, ma'am."

Adam plopped himself on his bed. "Ah, that was a good meal." From his upside-down position he looked to his dresser and saw his cell phone. "Well I should make a couple of calls now. Once I'm in space this thing won't work." He picked it up and dialed the last number in his list.

"Representative Athha."

"Hey Royal Pain, it's me, hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Cagalli laughed lightly. "You're still using that old nickname for me, huh?"

"Who's the one who bopped Falcon on the head with Strike Rouge?"

"Point for Adam. So what's up?"

"Well you said you wanted to talk to me, right? I'm free for the next few hours, have any time slot that you can squeeze me in?"

"Sure um… how's about in an hour? I should have all my meetings done by then."

"Okay, see you then. Oh wait, where do you want me to go?"

"The Athha mansion. I'll get Kisaka to push you through security."

"Thanks Cagalli. I have a few small things to finish up so I'll see you in an hour. Bye."

"Okay, ja ne."

Adam pressed the end call button. "There was someone else I wanted to… who was that… ah!" He searched through his list again and started to dial.

"Hello?" A young girl's voice answered.

"Hey, Chibi. How's it…."

"I TOLD YOU DON'T CALL ME CHIBI!" Miss Conille fumed into the mouthpiece on her end while Adam held the phone out at arms length. "Wait, who is this?"

"Don't tell me you don't remember. It's me, Adam! Adam Cancho?"

"Who is this for real? You don't sound like Adam."

"Oh that, well, I kind of needed my vocal chords reattached after Falcon blew up and…."

"Wait, what? Your tore your voice box? Falcon exploded?"

"Burned actually. Burned my vocal chords, and yes Falcon blew up."

"That would explain why I didn't see you on the news when ZAFT attacked Heaven's Base."

"Yeah, I wasn't even onboard the ship at that point."

"Really? Hey, speaking of the news, did you see that fake Lacus standing beside ORB's Athha?"

"Um… Connie?"

"And that blonde idiot actually looked at her like she was the real thing!"

"Uh… Miss Conille?"

"What a pathetic show."

"Hey Chibi!"

"Don't call me Chibi!"

"Now that I've finally got your attention, the ORB Lacus was the real one."

"Pfft. Yeah right, how the hell would you know?"

"Because I've spoken to her face to face. She's the real deal."

"Spoken to… wait, where are you?"

"ORB." There was a big pause. "Connie?"

"I knew it!" The girl hissed. "You bastard, trying to fake me out by impersonating Adam! He'd never be in a place like that saying those things! Who the hell are you and what have you done with him?"

"Connie I'm not joking and I'm not faking. It's really me."

"Sorry, but you're not fooling me. Goodbye."

"Wait, Connie! Connie!" The receiver clicked off. "Damn it."

Shinn was the first to speak after being informed of the situation. "We're going to take on their entire base by ourselves?"

"I really don't know if we'll be flying alone out there, but those are our orders." Talia replied quickly.

"It is a fact that Daedalus is closer to us from here." Ray analyzed the map table. "They must have based their orders on that assessment."

"Yes. The power charge cycle of that thing still is unknown to us, so timing will be the biggest problem. There will be no point in us rushing into battle just to be too late."

"Since the enemy is focusing on the lunar fleet at the moment, then we could pull off a sneak attack if we're lucky."

"Exactly what I was thinking."

"A sneak attack…." Shinn stared at the blueprints on the table.

"I know it will be a very rough fight for us. But we can't afford to lose this. Got it?"

"Yes, ma'am. Understood." Ray said with a blank stare.

"Uh, hai." Shinn stuttered for a moment. "I do too." Luna just looked down in apprehension.

"That thing must never be allowed to fire again." Ray drove the idea into their skulls with one last hammer hit.

"I'm depending on you all." Gladys looked to each of her pilots in turn.

A knock came on Cagalli's door. "Enter."

Kisaka opened the well-ornamented portal and stood at attention. "Adam Cancho is here as requested."

"Show him in." She said as she closed her laptop.

Kisaka stepped aside and motioned for Adam to go inside. Adam bowed slightly in thanks before the man closed the door behind him. After that he let out a long whistle. "Nice pad, Cagalli! You've got a lot of stuff in here don't you? Just how much of this is antique original?" He looked around the room.

"About 75 percent of it." She got up and went over to a small desk which she rubbed softly. "The rest of it is stuff we salvaged from the destruction of Onogoro in the last war. This was one piece of my father's things that the flames didn't touch."

"I'm sorry." He said back, truly sympathetic, remembering what happened to his own house.

"Don't be. But please, take a seat why don't you?"

"Okay, where do you want me to take it?" Adam obeyed.

"Bad…." The blonde groaned as she returned to her desk.

"Sorry, had to say it once."

"Well, Adam, as you know the Archangel is an ORB ship, and there are a lot of people on board that others count on. There are some up there that can make split second decisions while fighting and taking into consideration the entire force. That's why we have a chain of command. So…."

"I think I see what you're saying." The orange haired boy rested his chin in a hand as he looked away.

Cagalli blinked, her mouth still open. "You do?"

"Since I'm a civilian, you don't want me to go with them and telling me to stay home."

Cagalli blinked for a few more seconds before bursting into laughter. "You… you thought…."

"What's so funny?"

The girl wiped her eyes and took a couple of deep breaths. "You thought I'd keep you off of that ship?" She slapped her desk as she broke into another giggle fit. "Oh, I'm sorry. It's just… just… you got it totally backwards."

"Oi, now you've completely lost me." The boy closed his deep brown orbs and pinched the bridge of his nose.

The girl pulled out a large box from behind her desk and put it in front of him. "Here, open it."

"For me?" He pointed to himself as the representative nodded. He lifted the top off and pulled out what was inside. "This is…!"

"An ORB military uniform and a new flight suit. I'd never keep you from your friends, Adam. I wanted to make you one of us."

"Cagalli… I don't know what to say…." He lifted the flight suit up, a brand new yellow and gray one with blue trim around the shoulders. Afterwards he took a look at the uniform from the front. "Wait… three bars?" He pointed to the left breast, where they posted their ranks were worn.

"Yep, three bars."

"But that's the same rank as Athrun, right?"

"Right. And one under Kira right now. He's been promoted to General. That makes you and Athrun colonels." The boy's jaw dropped at this news. "I also sent Meyrin a uniform too. She's as much one of us as you are, after all."

"Cagalli..."

The girl stiffened up and became completely professional. "So! As long as you wear that uniform I expect you to uphold and fight for ORB's ideals and never to betray your own heart! Best of luck to you!"

"Yes, ma'am!" He stood up as fast and straight as he could.

"Dismissed!"

"Requiem's activation rate is at 48 percent."

"Second Movement will be in position within a few moments."

Above the lunar surface, the tube colony was being escorted by multiple EAF battleships on all sides. Not only that, but they were equipped with full sized reflector shields, so none of the ZAFT weaponry could breach their defenses. In response, the mobile suits were launched to clear a path. An ace pilot with a custom black Zaku with red flames painted on it took out three Windams that approached him with his beam rifle. Of course the EAF was sending out its full force as well. The original prototype mobile armor with reflective shielding, the Zamza-zar, was deemed a success, and now more of the insect-like armors flew through space, firing their multiphasic cannons at any enemy that passed. During the MA's recharge cycle, one of the Doppelhorn Windams escorting it fired its powerful overhead cannons at a nearby enemy.

"Geh! We still haven't gotten close to that thing?" Yzak snarled at his controls. "Let's go!"

"Ah!" Dearka responded right away. The commander's Gouf and the second in command's Zaku launched one right after the other.

"Are you sure you want to be going out right now, kid?" Murdock asked Adam as he waited on the elevator platform. "We're lifting off tomorrow morning, you know."

The brown-eyed Coordinator, clad in his new flight suit, adjusted the position of his hands in the gloves. "Yeah, I'll be fine." He sealed his helmet on. "Eagle is fast enough to get back in plenty of time."

"Okay." The chief said as Adam slid into his chair and the interface dropped down in front of him. "Where are you heading anyway?"

"Gulnahan. I need to see a friend before its too late." He closed the hatch and awaited for his mobile suit to be dropped onto the catapult. Bee, bee, bee, booooooo. "Adam Cancho, Eagle, aim for the stars!"

Ray, Luna, and Shinn stood in front of the pilot ready room's video monitor in their flight suits. "If the lunar fleet can disable the first relay point before that thing fires a second round, PLANT will be saved, but just barely." Ray analyzed the situation. "But if their recharge is quicker than our assault, then PLANT will be destroyed, and our fleet caught in the crossfire. I think you already know who is the one behind the trigger."

"Ah! I get it!" Shinn growled. "He's at fault for everything! Logos's Lord Djibril!"

Luna stared at the bulkhead below her. "If I could have killed him back at ORB… hell, Adam even gave me a second chance to…."

"Luna, you're not the one at fault. The ones who sheltered him was ORB! So don't go saying ridiculous things."

"Putting everything aside," The blonde interrupted the two redcoats. "We can't go back to change it. Since that's the case, we should learn from our mistakes and not make the same again."

"Ray! That's…." Shinn went to Lunamaria's defense instantly.

"I already know!" The girl spat quickly.

"So yeah! We'll never allow them to shoot at the fleet or PLANT!"

Ray wordlessly brought up the diagram of the moon and its base. "With that settled, let's work on our strategy."

Adam checked the map on his screen. "Let's see, Gulnahan should be right around here somewhere, if I remember correctly. If this is the ravine here then I should be…." The map turned off suddenly as his proximity alarm beeped. "Evading like crazy!" Adam rolled his mobile armor to the right just as a thick red and blue beam scorched through the sky he was just in. "What the hell was that?" He zoomed in on the source, a fortified base on the opposite side of where the Lohengrin Gate was. One more bit of magnification found himself gulping. "A Tannhauser? ZAFT fortified this location?" Multiple flying enemy contacts appeared on his radar. "Shit!" Eagle extended claws from its belly and spread out all six of its wings and went to intercept. Four Babis were on an approach vector and fired off their core cannons. Adam detached all of his DRAGOON pods. The beams heading directly for him were deflected by the high rotation of his saberbarrels, while the gunbarrels closed in from the left and right, swooping in and taking out two of the units' engines. "I don't want to kill anyone here. I'm not on that kind of mission. I'm here to save someone!" The claws glowed with the power of sabers, and before one of the two remaining Babis could get off another shot, both of its arms were sliced straight off. Eagle did a quick u-turn and removed the other one's arms from behind. The bird of prey pointed its claws directly behind it and fired the foot beams inside, disabling the main cameras. The Tannhauser moved to point at the speedy Gundam. "Oh no!" Eagle's DRAGOONS returned as the wings lifted up and the cockpit receded. The claws were switched out with legs as the suit went vertical, and arms folded out from the chest. The cannon on the nose uncoupled and folded into the open space where the arms went, and the nose popped off, splitting into two. The two sides of the nose clamped onto the shoulders, and a beam rifle and positron reflector shield slid into their respective hands. The massive energy weapon discharged again as the shield opened around its four-point star. Adam re-directed the beam straight up, harmlessly destroying nothing but a cloud. While the cannon recharged, Adam uncoupled his saberbarrels again and sent them flying at the cannon. Through the quantum interface the boy slashed off all the energy cables to the cannon. The Tannhauser Toll Path was disabled. "I'd better get out of here before more hostiles arrive."

Outside the reflector colony, Dearka fired shots at a Zamza-zar that just bounced off its beam shield. Of course the flashes of light distracted them enough so they didn't see Yzak's white Gouf close in with its whip extended. With a quick arm toss, the heated rod sliced through two of the positron shield projectors and then they were in business. With expert teamwork and timing Yzak and Dearka cut across the front of the armor, leaving deep gashes through the cockpit. Those three pilots would never live again.

"Requiem activation rate now at 50 percent!"

"Yosh! We're doing well!" Djibril stared at the events of the battle with unwavering eyes. "As long as Fourier is defended, we win this. Our lengthy battle with them will finally be over!"

"It really is true." The commander agreed.

"Soon I'll accomplish what no man has done before! History will be rewritten within a few hours!"

A blue and brown mobile suit rocketed over the small town, causing a panic down below. One young girl wearing an overcoat looked up at it. "That mobile suit…!" She jumped in her new ATV and jammed the throttle, determined to follow it. The metallic creature had knelt in a field far enough away so it wouldn't do much damage. When the girl arrived the cockpit was open and the pilot was just getting out. The brunette slammed on the brakes and jumped out of the vehicle, pulling a gun out from her jacket. She fired twice and the man in the yellow flight suit fell to the ground, motionless. "Yes!" She ran up to the suit and got on the winch until she was in the cockpit. As the control panel slid down above her she looked at it. "Now, that's the throttle, and the bodily control. Depending on what button you hold, the controls will do different motions. Hold this one and move forward, the legs crouch. This one moves the arms and aims the cannons. The inner pad on the left foot is for flight throttle forward and the right foot is for backwards. The outer pads are for walking or running forward and back, but you can turn the pads slightly to the left or right, making the Gundam turn as well." She scratched her head. "Damn it! Even after what Adam taught me I can't figure this out? Why doesn't this look like Falcon?"

"Because it isn't Falcon." An orange-haired teen had climbed up and cocked his pistol while she was searching through the controls. The adolescent gasped and looked up. "This isn't Falcon, Chibi."

Burt looked at his radar screen as Minerva hugged the moon's surface. "We'll be entering enemy territory in a few moments."

"Shelter the bridge! Issue Condition Red!" Talia ordered quickly.

"Condition Red issued!" Abby echoed to the entire ship. "Pilots, please stand by in your units."

From the pilot's lounge, everything finished up quickly. "So do you understand, Lunamaria?" Ray asked her directly. "Timing is critical."

"Yeah."

"Um, no, but…." Shinn was about to jump in.

"We will of course attempt to back you up." Ray continued, ignoring him. "But don't count on us for that or else you'll wind up being vulnerable. We may wind up with our hands full."

"Ray!" He hissed back.

"I knew that from the start. So don't start worrying about it now." The lady of the group narrowed her eyes.

"Then let's move." Ray grabbed his floating helmet as he pushed towards the elevator. "Failure isn't an option this time by."

"Uh…." Shinn just left it at that as he reached for his own helmet.

"Shinn." Luna turned to him quickly.

Ray turned to them both, and Luna sent him a glare that would have shot off a DRAGOON on Legend. "Hurry up you two. And don't do anything that might compromise us." The blonde said back as he closed the elevator door.

Once they were alone Luna wrapped her arms around Shinn and nuzzled his cheek. "Please be careful."

They pulled each other into a full hug. "Luna, you too." She smiled at that, enjoying the intimacy until he pulled away and held her at arms length. "But I can't let you!"

"Eh?"

"Luna, it's too risky for you to take out the cannon controls yourself!"

"Shinn…!"

"The one that should do that is either me or Ray!" He went for his helmet again.

"Shinn!" She grabbed his wrist quickly. "Shinn, it's the same for both of us!" They both bumped into the wall. "Diverting their attention from me by making an all out offensive on the base is just as risky! We're both doing the same thing!" They looked into each other's eyes with concern. "You know I'll be okay. Please, believe in me."

"Luna…."

"Shinn, the two of you…." The girl was cut off as he pulled her into a tight hug and pushed off sending them spinning across the room in a warm embrace.

"We'll all be fine." Shinn whispered. "I'll make sure everyone is saved, PLANT, this ship, and especially you. Definitely!"

Connie raised her trembling hands slowly. "That face… that voice…."

"I told you it was me, Connie." Adam said with a sad face.

"I don't understand. I shot you."

"Why do you think I landed my suit in a kneeling position? I knew you'd come, so I feigned it. Probably gave me a couple of bruises though. Now keep your hands up and come towards me slowly. The interface will automatically lift up." He motioned to her.

She moved slowly, step by step towards the boy that had the gun pointed at her head. Her fear was apparent as tears began to well up in her eyes. "You're going to kill me, aren't you? That's what you at the EAF do to people who support ZAFT."

Connie closed her eyes and waited for the trigger to be pulled. Instead she felt warm arms wrap around her tightly and a hand cradled her head. "I'm so sorry I had to do that, Chibi. I just needed to show you it was me."

The girl sobbed into his flight suit for a while before she could muster a full sentence. "Don't call me Chibi."

Core Splendor reached the top of the catapult and its engines lit up. Bee, bee, bee, buzzzz! "Lunamaria Hawke, Core Splendor, ikkuwayo!" The girl met her three other parts outside, including the Blast Module. Impulse's armor changed to a black and blue color scheme and she took off.

"I'm reading a vessel coming in from 10 o'clock!" A radarman in Requiem cried out. "Distance: 50! ZAFT ship… Minerva!"

"Minerva, you said?" Djibril growled and turned away, attempting to hide his fear in anger.

"You idiots! Why didn't you see them sooner?" The commander reprimanded quickly. "Sound the alarm! Scramble! Release all countermeasures at once!"

Connie and Adam let their feet dangle as they watched the sun set, snacking on some of Adam's rations. "So why did you come here, anyway?" She asked, taking a sip of water.

"To see you. After what happened with our phone conversation I had to come so that you knew it was really me."

"So you're with ORB now, huh?"

"Yeah."

"I saw this mobile suit on the news when it was attacking ZAFT forces. Why did you do that? Aren't your friends in ZAFT?"

"Some of them are, but ORB is my home. My parents are there, besides, most of my friends aren't in ZAFT any…."

"That's not the point!"

"Eh?"

"Why did you ally yourself with a nation that willingly hid a monster like Djibril?"

"You're wrong, the side I joined with harbored no one."

"They gave him a shuttle and let him escape!"

"That was the Seiran administration!" Adam got in her face. He panted for a second. "I'm with the Athha administration, the one that saved my life in the first place and is the rightful leader of ORB!"

"You still fought when ZAFT was trying to flush him out though!"

"I was protecting my home!"

"You were helping hide a murderer!"

"I fought against that murderer!" Connie pulled back and blinked for a second at Adam's statement. "Yeah that's right. Remember that big black and red monstrosity that went on a rampage, destroying cities? I was in the fight against it! I know it was Djibril who made that thing, and I fought against it with all I had, putting my life on the line for people I didn't even know! So you're saying I can't put my life on the line for people I do? The ones I've known and lived with on that island nation?" Connie turned away and looked down into her cup, deciding to stay silent.

"Scramble! Scramble! All units launch! I repeat, all units launch!" All of Daedelus was in a frantic rush to battle stations as mobile suits and mobile armors of all types went to the lunar surface.

"CWIS, Tristan, Isolde, all active. Launchers 1 to 10 load all tubes with Neidhart missiles!" Arthur went through his checklist.

"Destiny, Legend, lift off!" Talia leaned forward.

"Ray za Burrel, Legend, hashin salu!"

"Shinn Asuka, Destiny, ikkimas!" Both of ZAFT's most powerful suits went out to meet the enemy forces.

"Mission commence!" Talia ordered.

"Launcher's 3 through 8, fire!"

"Just die!" Shinn yelled as he fired his blaster into any advancing Windam in front of him.

Ray fired a beam into a Zamza-zar, but it simply bounced off the shield. The mobile armor reciprocated with both its cannons and all of its rifles. The blonde boy rolled away and set loose all of his DRAGOONs at once. The single-beam pods danced around the mobile armor, not doing any damage, but distracting the pilots enough for the two beam spikes to line up and go to full burn, piercing the metal and going out the other side like it was nothing. This new feature of the spikes, which didn't exist in Providence's time, reduced this MA to nothing but scrap metal. As this attack went on, Impulse hugged the moon's surface as she sped towards her final destination, unnoticed by the enemy.

A video screen popped up on the holo-imaging chair that Dullindal was taking a nap in. "Chairman, Minerva has reached Daedalus."

"That so? So they made it. Excellent news."

"Hai."

"Let us all put our trust in them and pray."

"Kgh!" Ray strained his mind as he let his DRAGOONs take care of the three Windams closing in on his position.

"Eeeehhh!" Shinn whipped out his beam cannon and quickly separated a Windam's chest from its legs at a long range.

The CWIS machine guns on Minerva took care of all the missiles launched onto it from the base. "Isolde, TEI!" The three projectile cannons fired over the port side, sending three shells directly into the base.

"Turn fifteen degrees star and pitch down ten more. Use that mountain to shield us." Gladys's strategy was spot on. "Bring the Tannhauser online."

"Yes, ma'am!"

"I want you to relay all of the details of the battle to the news media in our cities." Dullindal said calmly as he watched Minerva shoot more missiles down that were tailing her. "Keep the images unedited. Use the ones fighting at the colony module as well."

"Eh? But that might…."

"Everything will be fine. There won't be any panic. I'm sure that everyone wants to know how their destinies will turn out because of this. And they have the right to know it, too."

"Yes, sir."

Bee, beep. Bee, beep. Both Adam and Connie turned towards the cockpit, which was making the weird noise. Adam hopped in his seat and flipped a switch. "Heh, well what do you know?"

"What is it?" The girl looked over his panel.

"Looks like Dullindal's propaganda machine is showing us the battle for the Moon."

"It's not a propaganda machine! They're showing everyone the fight for their lives!"

"I know. They're fighting to protect their home. It's natural to do that. But I'll be honest." He leaned forward and the console slid back into standby position. "There's something rotten going on in that government."

"What do you mean?"

"You know those two Lacuses? I've met and talked to them both. The one in ORB was the real one, meaning that the one that sides with Dullindal is false."

"Okay, for the sake of argument, let's assume you're right. Maybe Dullindal doesn't know that she's a…."

"Oh please. There's no way he wouldn't be aware of something that big and detailed. Plastic surgery like that takes funding, LOTS of funding. Also, then why did a group of assassin Coordinators try to kill the real one?"

"Well… what?"

"You heard me. A group of professional assassins tried to kill Lacus Clyne."

"I don't believe it!"

"And remember Zala-daicho?"

"What about him?"

"He was about to be arrested, tried, and killed for an act of treason that never even existed! Not only that, but my girlfriend was supposed to be his cohort!"

"You're lying!"

"Why would I lie about that? Connie, they tried to kill my girlfriend! They freaking shot at her!"

"But… ZAFT has been so kind to us…. Why would they…."

"Why haven't the Destroys launched? We've only got one ship to deal with, so why isn't it dead yet?" The commander of the Daedalus base yelled at the nearest officer as five Destroys rose to the surface.

"Shinn!" Ray motioned towards them.

"I see them! They just won't learn will they? Kgh!" The red-eyed pilot dove towards them.

Minerva's positron cannon emerged from its inner casing. "Primary phase bank, contact. Optimum output. Safety unlocked."

"TEI!" Gladys ordered. The massive energy weapon hurtled towards the base, but a Gerzu-Geh mobile armor spread its reflector and intercepted it. The shockwave that was sent back blew Minerva off to the side.

All of the mobile armor Destroys fired their doublebarrelled positron cannons into the stars, attempting to intercept Destiny with a lucky shot. One's luck ran out as Shinn barreled around the high-powered weapon and dove straight for the cockpit. He punched his way into the torso and fired off the palm beam, blasting the pilot through the back of the giant weapon. The mobile armor hands of one other Destroy were sent flying, with Ray as the target. Legend's beam shield made it easy to slide off the attacks they fired. He pulled out his double-ended beam saber, lifted it over his head and slashed vertically through one of the pods, and quickly turned around to split the second. Falling back himself, Ray's beam spikes shot off and hurtled towards the mobile armor. They burrowed through the thick metal and shot out the back of the saucer and torso.

Then the unavoidable happened. Luna was spotted. "What the?" A Windam pilot saw her on his screen.

"Is that a secondary squadron?"

"Aaaaayyy!" The girl let out a battlecry as she began shooting suits down quickly. One that tried sneaking up behind her for a hand-to-hand attack got the nozzle of her blaster in the cockpit before she flipped onto her back and fired at the next Windam above her.

Shinn effortlessly took down one of his own. "Luna!" He broke off the engagement and went to back her up.

"Another enemy suit has been detected in sector 6!" An EAF officer reported.

"We just lost Destroy Unit 2!"

"Requiem's activation rate is now at 61 percent."

"I'm not getting any response from the 8th MS team!"

"Requiem! Fire it!" Djibril ordered. "Full power doesn't matter now! Just shoot! Clear them out!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Eeeeaaaaayyyy!" Yzak yelled as he fired his gattling weapon, causing explosions all across the side of an EAF battleship. He got clear before the entire ship erupted. "There's your damn hole! NOW TARGET THAT PIECE OF SPACE SHIT AND FIRE!" Three Nazca class ships launched all its available missiles and beams at the colony module, sending explosions all across its surface.

"It won't work! Fourier's been hit! It can't hold its position!"

"Egh!" Djibril was now in a total panic. "I don't care! At least eliminate the ones around Fourier!"

"But that would doom us all! There would be no way to hold them back before the next charge completes." The base commander stayed as calm as possible.

"It doesn't matter, just shoot!" Djibril leaned in close. "I'll use it as a distraction to escape. The Girty Lue is back from its delivery after all. If I'm still breathing, there will always be a chance to destroy them. Fire the weapon at the same time you surrender the base! There will be plenty of blame to go around. You've done an excellent job. So let us meet again in Arzachel." The look in Djibril's eyes made the older man cower in fear.

Outside, multiple mobile suits and mobile armors set their sights on Impulse. Basically Luna couldn't even return fire, only dodge and shield herself from attacks. Destiny flew in and tossed a boomerang into and through two of the attacking Windams. The next to go was the Gerzu-Geh, the torso sliced off with his large blade. "Shinn!" Luna's gratitude was all over her face.

"You've gotta go! The entrance is right around here! Luna, I'll most definitely keep you alive!"

"Thank you."

"FIRE!" Talia screamed over the explosions, as once again, the Tannhauser let loose its immense power. This time there was no mobile armor in the line of fire, and the attack did maximum damage. Legend blocked a peppering of blasts with his shield as he swooped in and landed on top of a Destroy, plunging his beam saber into the cannon controls. "The whole lunar fleet is working at their hardest right now! Let's finish this off! Keep your guards up!"

"Yes, ma'am!" The entire bridge answered in unison.

Luna cranked her engines to max, and a Zamza-zar slid in behind her and fired its beam cannons. Impulse ducked low and barely avoided it. "Damn it! Enough already!" Shinn was pissed and dive bombed with the point of his blade, shoving it straight into the mobile armor and tearing it out.

The CWIS cannons on the EAF base were no match for Impulse's speed. "Is that it?" She dove into the shaft by the Requiem barrel.

Her boyfriend smiled, knowing she made the goal. "Shinn!" Ray brought him back to the present. "We'll target the command center!"

"Ah!"

"Requiem activation rate is now at 63 percent."

"Powerflow is normal. Force field formation confirmed. Detonation breaker circuit S-116 is now active."

"Para-capacitor five is now at 70 percent."

"Primary extractor, stand by."

The cap on Requiem's barrel screwed in until it disappeared from view. From above, Shinn noticed this and let out a quick gasp. "The bastards are still at it! Kusso!" He fired his buster into a Windam and ducked into the launch bay."

Djibril sat down on the Girty Lue's bridge. "Report."

"Everything is set, sir."

"Yosh. Begin launch sequence. Also send out code 'Song of Silence.'"

"Yes, sir!"

Luna's map was right on as she came upon the exit to the shaft. With her shoulder cannons she blew off the hatch and rushed out to the open space. "This must be it!"

"SHIA activated. Countdown initiated. T-minus 35 until firing clearance."

"Okay! Open all hailing frequencies. Hand me the trigger." The base commander stood up.

Legend floated just next to the exit portal, awaiting something to happen. Destiny came upon the battleship hangar. Impulse leveled itself at the control block. "Eeehhhh!" She yelled as her shoulder cannons and blast barrels fired into the complex, dissolving everyone.

"Teeyyyaaaahh!" Shinn whipped out his buster and shot up each and every battleship there, also taking out the internal bridge, vaporizing the commander.

Amidst the smoke, the Girty Lue took off. "Eeehh!" Djibril voiced his distaste in a grunt.

Ray didn't let the movement go unnoticed as he slid in front of the ship. Djibril's eyes went extremely wide. "Ungh!" Ray let out a grunt through his nose as he sent his DRAGOONs flying. The beam spikes leveled themselves at the bridge and hurtled towards Djibril as he stood up. Half of the man's body was ripped off by the weapon, and the other half dissolved in the engine wash all in the split second it took for the spikes to come out the other side. The rest of the wireless weaponry danced around the ship, firing into it at all different angles. Bogey-1 would trouble them no longer. The battle was won.

Dullindal smirked as he leaned back in his chair. "I should thank you, Djibril. And also… goodbye."

"Wow, that ended in a rather dramatic fashion." Adam scratched his forehead.

"Yeah, so it did." Connie agreed as the boy turned off the video feed.

"With this, Dullindal is now the most powerful man in the Earth Sphere."

"That's not so bad, is it?"

"If you knew what I did, Chibi, the answer would be yes."

"Don't call me Chibi, and then why don't you inform me?"

Red lights went off in his cockpit and a video window popped up. "Crap, I'm being scanned! Where's the source?" He brought up the long range sensors. "Where are you? Ah-ha!" He zoomed in on a tiny speck in the sky. "A reconnaissance DINN!"

"A what?"

Adam opened the cockpit. "Sorry Chibi, but I'll have to cut my visit short. Some more ZAFT troops will be after me in a bit."

"But Adam!" She objected as he pushed her onto the winch.

"When the Chairman announces something revolutionary, think about what it will mean for what you have now, and take it with a grain of salt." He flipped the switch and the winch went down.

"Adam! What are you talking about?"

"Goodbye Chibi! I don't know if I'll see you again, but in case I don't, stay well and stay alive!" Adam closed the hatch and put on his helmet.

"DON'T CALL ME CHIBI!" She yelled over the engines as Adam took off. The girl watched him go as a tear ran down her cheek. "You'd better come back."

Luna came down from Impulse amongst a crowd of clapping engineers. Shinn parted the sea as he ran towards her. "Luna! Luna, you did it!" Shinn scooped her up in a huge hug and spun her around.

Vino's jaw dropped at the scene. Youlan elbowed him. "Come on, pay up."

The orange-tufted boy's shoulders slumped as he reached into his pocket. "Fine, take it you thief!" He slapped a large sum of money into the tanner boy's hand.

As Archangel sat in dry dock, Athrun, who recently had his facial bandages removed, enjoyed the twilight breeze. "Athrun." Kira walked up to him, Lacus hiding in the doorframe. "So this is where you were. You know you're not going to get any better if you don't go to bed when you're supposed to. We are launching tomorrow morning, after all."

"Ah. Sorry. Couldn't sleep." He paused and looked up at the moon as Kira joined him. "It's so quiet here…." Without warning, Eagle flew overhead to come in for his landing run. "Well for the most part." He shook his fist at the mobile suit. "So why can't we live in such a world?"

Lacus smiled, turned around, and padded silently off to bed as the men spoke. "I guess that's because of our dreams."

"Uh?"

"We all wish, we all hope…. If we looked at it as a bad thing, ambitions?"

"You really…."

"But I guess that's what they really are in the end, right? 'This is what I want to do' and 'this is what I want to be.' Since we all think that way, we can't stay here. You're the same, right Athrun? So am I, along with Cagalli and Lux, and I'm sure everyone else too."

"And the world that Gichou wishes for won't have it at all."

"Unh. I suppose that means we'll be able to stay like this forever. But it's more accurate that he'd be forcing us to stay like this forever."

"You've got that right."

"In that kind of world, then nothing will happen, so wars such as these won't exist either. But that's something…."

"I wouldn't be able to stand it either."

"Are we selfish?"

"That may be true, but aren't we all? I mean, isn't that why mankind has existed for so long?"

"Unh."

"It's really tough… Are we meant to fight? Is it even necessary to?"

"Unh." Kira sighed as they both resumed looking at the moon. "Why can't everyone's dreams be the same?"

"You're wrong. They are the same." Athrun did a quick comparison between himself and Shinn.

"Eh?"

"It's just that no one realizes it."

Adam rubbed the back of his neck as he walked towards his quarters. "Uh?" He asked as he saw someone there.

"Good evening, Adam." Lacus bowed to him.

"Same to you, Lacus-san. What are you doing up this late?"

"I wished to speak to you for a moment, if that's all right."

"Sure. I need to wind down anyway. Please come in." He opened the door and let her go through courteously. "Pull up a chair." He said as he sat down on his bed.

After she had sat down and put her hands in her lap, she turned to him. "Did you do everything you set out to do?"

"Not really. In the end I wasn't able to convince her. I don't really know what I was thinking in going in the first place."

"You are a very kind person, Adam. Those who you know and are friends with are most precious to you, and you would do nearly anything for them. Is my assessment correct?"

"I suppose."

"Then please forgive me for what I say next. Do not be that way in battle anymore."

"Uh?"

"From now on we will be doing some very dangerous things, and choosing the person you love instead of everything else will be a fatal mistake at this juncture. Everyone here realizes that their lives are on the line for every human being. Not even Kira will choose me over the human race, because we all wish it to be saved."

"What are you saying then?"

"I realize that you love Meyrin, but if you cannot put that aside in the heat of battle you may never return to her. That being said, there's also a possibility of there not being a her to return to."

Adam looked down and smiled. "That's ironic. Do you realize what you just asked me to do?"

"I asked you to…."

"You just asked me to shut off a part of me that makes me human. What you just did is no better than what Gichou is doing. Only in that world, you can only love who you're assigned to love. No, Lacus. I cannot grant your request because of who I am."

The girl's light-blue eyes went wide. "I see. Then I was in the wrong. I apologize. I'll leave you to get some rest. Good night, Adam."

"Same to you, Lacus."

When the door slid closed behind her, she grinned. As she went to her room she whispered to herself. "You pass, Adam. Without your humanity, you'll never be able to go up against the Chairman because you'd be exactly like him."

The entire crew of the Archangel stood at attention in the mobile suit hangar as the assembly was given a speech by Cagalli. "We're still unclear of all the details on the Moon's situation. As the situation stands, I cannot assure you that nothing will happen. This will be a dangerous journey, and I will not order you to go. Therefore I ask all who volunteer to take one step…." The hangar echoed with the unison steps of the full crew. Cagalli smiled at their determination. "Archangel is an official member of Orb's Second Space Fleet. I will support you and it as much as possible."

"Ah!" Athrun let out a silent gasp as he saw that the ring he gave to Cagalli was no longer on her finger, but he didn't let it on.

"With the damage to PLANT, Chairman Dullindal has unified his citizens and now is the most powerful leader in the Earth Sphere. His judgment will seem to be right, and he will look omniscient and infalliable. But countries such as ours fear and oppose such power. All ORB wants is peace, but that piece must only come from freedom and independence. We cannot and will not choose submission nor subordination. Archangel crew, I ask you to do your best to defend this ideal." Everyone saluted.

When Cagalli, and in turn, everyone, put their hands down, Captain Ramius came to the front. "Our vessel will now begin a mission to the Copernicus lunar city and begin gathering intelligence. We will launch in half an hour. Everyone, to your stations!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Everyone began to disperse.

The ORB Princess turned to Neo. "Colonel Lorrnoke, I freely hand over the controls of Akatsuki to you."

"You can count on me."

"Cagalli-sama." One of her aids got her attention and she nodded, following him out.

"Athrun." The green-eyed Coordinator just watched her with a slightly tilted head as Kira spoke from beside him.

"I'm fine with it." He answered without a question being asked, startling both Kira and Lacus. "For now at least. There's no need to rush, since we dream the same."

"Hmm? What are you guys talking about?" Adam looked to each with questioning looks.

"More importantly, we need to celebrate this one's promotion." Athrun put Adam in a headlock.

"Oh, hey, come on! I just got my hair the way I wanted it!"

In the hall, Meyrin ran into Cagalli's troupe. "Oh, Meyrin!" The golden-haired girl noticed her right away. "Why aren't you in the ORB uniform I gave you?"

Meyrin looked down at her standard green ZAFT uniform. "If we're going to be researching ZAFT intelligence, then I should be a ZAFT soldier, or at least look like one if necessary. Besides, the other uniform makes my butt look big."

"I see. Um… you and Adam… take care of him for me."

"Eh?"

"Since I can't go with you…. I pray that you'll be safe." Cagalli saluted her quickly and walked off, tears beginning to well in her eyes.

Neumann ran through the final checklist. "Engine is working properly. Conduit as well as FCS online. Power flow is good. Main batteries, contact. System, all green. Archangel, all systems online. All launch preparations complete."

"Well, we should go then, right Captain?" Lacus smiled at her good friend.

Murrue nodded and looked ahead. "Archangel will now launch!" The engines came to life as they began to clear the dock. Everyone on shore saluted them as they began their critical mission.

Chapter 33 Preview: It's not the truth, but then again it's not a lie. Such lines blur when the goal you reach for is unobtainable. When one is reborn to a world of numbers, is it really life? When one is reborn to a different face, who are you truly? Next time on Old Friends Anew: The Songs of Truth and Silence. Break free of the of the gravity of doom, METEOR!


	33. Old Friends Anew Ch 33

Old Friends Anew

Phase-33: The Songs of Truth and Silence

As Dullindal leaned back in his chair on Messiah, one of his men on the front line gave him a report via video conference. "There are now three relay colonies left intact. We've taken them under our control without any problems."

"So you're saying there were five all together?" Dullindal sighed. "It's hard to believe."

"This is a severe oversight!" One of the PLANT councilmen snapped.

"Yes, sir…." The general said quietly.

"I'll admit that's true," Dullindal spoke quickly, raising his hand and holding back his angry comrade's words. "Even though the enemy was quite cunning, we've been keeping an eye on the Earth too much. Put those colonies into lunar orbit. We'll talk about destroying them at a later date."

"Yes, sir."

"What of Daedalus?"

"Just as you ordered, the Laura team is on its way. If I guess right, they should be close, if not there already."

"That so? Thank you. I think we should finally let the Minerva and the lunar fleet get some well deserved rest. They must be completely worn out from the fight."

"Yes, sir."

"They have really done a superb job." His fellow councilman spoke up again. "The lunar fleet, but especially Minerva."

"Ah. Because of them, the war might just be over. After all, we have received word that Djibril has finally met his end while he was trying to escape again. Though I hear the EAF President is still residing in Arzachel, I sincerely doubt he would mobilize the military again."

"I agree."

"But we were rather foolish."

"Sir?"

"We should have figured out that complacent thoughts such as 'Something like that won't ever happen to us' would inevitably lead us to disaster. But we couldn't even stop it from happening again."

"Uh…" The general stuttered. "Words of apology are not enough at this moment."

"No, I'm not putting the blame on you. Remember that I'm also in a spot where I should be the one apologizing to those that were lost. But to show my true feelings, I must create a world that won't let it happen again. To atone for our complacency, I must do that, at the very least."

"Yes, sir!" The transmission ended.

Before Dullindal was able to relax though… "Gichou." A window on the other side of his seat opened up. "We were finally able to decode that message Djibril's ship sent out before it was destroyed."

"Really? What was it?"

" 'Song of Silence' sir. There's nothing more to it. No underlying layers, no hidden sub-code, just those three words."

"Song of Silence? That's a mysterious phrase to broadcast, don't you think?" The man in power looked to his associate.

"Indeed. Could it be some type of operational code, in the event of his death?"

"I wouldn't put it past Djibril to plan something to give himself a killer sendoff. We should keep detailed watch over Arzachel, and have any slight movements reported in."

"I agree."

"Song of Silence, huh?" Fllay stared at her computer screen. "What are you hiding, Djibril?"

"Ma'am." Her second in command came into the room.

"What is it Appolly? I'm working on investigating that broadcast."

"A followup report on Adam's find with that EAF battleship, ma'am. We just got in some info from one of our operatives in ZAFT. They scanned the ship before it was destroyed and sent us the results."

"Give it here." The girl held out her hand without even looking up from her station. After Appolly put the disk in her palm, she slid it into the drive and accessed the data. "That's odd. The weight is back to normal, in fact, it's a little lighter than before."

"A data anomally on Eagle?"

"No, I think it was accurate. They just needed to dump something big."

"But there was nothing in Daedalus that looked extremely suspicious."

Fllay paused and twirled a lock of hair around her finger. "Appolly, how do EAF long burst transmissions get to their destination so fast?"

"Didn't you know? There's a satellite up in polar orbit of the moon. Since patrols never go there, it's the safest place for the satellite."

She paused her twirling. "Is it manned?"

"Sure there are a few people on an outpost on the moon's sur…."

"Shit! We got careless!" The girl's hands ran across the keyboard as fast as she could move them, bringing up a moon diagram. "The far side of the moon transmits to the near side through the polar satellite. Now, all of the long burst channels were open and sending that same message, and the satellite aimed it at Arzachel. What if the message wasn't for Arzachel, but the relay point?"

"But that station is tiny, insignificant, and…."

"And one place we don't have an operative. Plus patrols never go that way, right?"

"So what you're saying is…."

"Djibril's Song of Silence will come from that base. Get Sheridan over here quickly. We'll need him on this one."

Adam yawned. The low glow of the screens in the CIC pit were making him drowsy. A few quick beeps brought him to a more awakened state. "Adam, could you come up here a sec?" Miriallia asked him from above.

"Yeah sure." He unbuckled himself and pushed off, floating up to her station. "What's up?" He adjusted his dark blue collar as he came to a stop.

"I'm getting a transmission from the same frequency that you gave to me before. It's addressed to you."

"Really? Okay, so what's it say?"

" 'Message received. Information is hot. Will be following up personally.' That's all."

"Personally? Damn, it must be serious if she's doing it personally."

"She?"

The boy paused to think, and the comment didn't register for a few seconds. "Yeah, she. Okay, send this back, quickly. 'Don't do anything stupid. Available if assistance is needed.' End message."

"Ended and … sent." Miriallia said after all was completed. "Adam, are you planning on leaving Archangel?"

"Only if they need me, and I'll be back. I owe her big time." The orange-haired pilot pulled himself back into his seat in CIC so he could finish the rest of his shift.

POW, deet POW, deet Shinn unloaded a clip into the digital dummy in the ship's firing range. His aim for the head was always a little off, going more towards the grazing mark instead of the killing blow. His roommate on the other hand was shooting dead on. Ray showed no emotion as he fired again, hitting the mark. Shinn fired two more shots, which went wild. The feeling that he was being watched made his arm twitch. "Uh?" He turned around to see Luna staring at him from behind the bullet-proof glass with a sad look on her face. He took off his earmuffs and walked to the door. "Nani? Is there something you need?"

" 'Nani' doesn't cut it, Shinn! After all this time we've gotten some time off, so how come you're doing target practice already?"

"Eh? Well I already slept, and Ray said he was heading to the firing range, so I just figured…."

"Oh, that so?" The purplish-redhead sighed and turned away.

"Eh? Hey, wait a minute." He said as he pulled off his earmuffs. "Luna!" By the time he put it away, she was already in the hall. "Luna, Luna! Hey!" He grabbed her wrist quickly. "Just what's the deal? Why are you mad?"

"I wouldn't say I'm angry…."

"Of course you are. I can tell."

"Nah, it's fine." She turned away again.

"'It's fine' my ass. Why won't you help me understand?"

The girl took a slow sigh. "I only wanted to talk to you."

"Uh?"

"There were so many things going on lately, so we never got to. About Athrun, and Meyrin, and Adam too." She wanted to continue, but out of the corner of her eye, Ray emerged from the firing range. She turned to the exact opposite of eye contact with him. "But everything's okay now. I only wanted to say not to worry. It's hard to stay calm when I start to think that she's alive. But none of that is your fault, Shinn. In a way I have a little comfort, knowing Adam is there with her."

"Luna…."

"I know it was an order. Even now, all those suspicions haven't been answered. But I've already forgiven you. So don't keep worrying about me, please. That's really it. Sorry for worrying you." She yanked free of Shinn's hand and tried to put some distance between them.

"Luna…."

At a colony on the moon, Archangel moved towards its hangar. "Your entry angle is good and may continue on approach. Archangel, please proceed to dock 7. Welcome back."

"This is Archangel. Roger. Moving towards dock 7." Neumann answered as he steered the ship below dirt-level, and backed her into dock 7, where in docks 6 and 8 were ORB Izumo-class ships similar to the old 3-Ships-Alliance Kusanagi.

In Kira and Athrun's room, Adam sat in a small meeting with the other two. The 18 year old General spoke first. "So the kid named Shinn was piloting Impulse when it took me out?"

"Ah, that's right." Athrun confirmed it.

"And you know him?" Kira turned to the youngest member of the team.

"Yeah. He was my best friend. Though I'm not sure how much anymore."

"Well he's the one piloting the Destiny now." Athrun rubbed his shoulder.

"Destiny?"

"That red and blue one with the big sword?"

Adam coughed as he swallowed a sip of coffee. "Excuse me? That thing? I was fighting against Shinn back at ORB?"

"I'm afraid so. But back then I was really taken aback. To think that Shinn could actually beat you…."

"I was a bit preoccupied with whether I should be fighting ZAFT or not. Cagalli was with us, so I was trying to let them get away without…." Kira sighed.

"Archangel got defeated too." Athrun still held a small smile on his face. "It really did surprise me. But because of that, I was able to understand it as a whole… that there was something wrong with the system."

"Athrun…." Kira sat up and stared at him.

"Which is why Gichou and Ray are dangerous. When they talk, they naturally sound correct."

"I hear that." Adam sighed. "I was drawn in too."

"The thing is that they probably are correct to an extent." Kira clasped his hands together.

"Most likely, Shinn won't be able to see it, because he's trapped in the illusion. He works hard for his dreams, but they still won't come."

"I see…."

"And Lunamaria… I fear she might be next to…."

"Don't worry about Luna, Daicho." Adam leaned back. "She knows a lot more than she lets on. I think she'd figure out that there are problems going on by now. If she's in any danger, she has Impulse, and the knowhow to escape if need be."

"I see. Foolish of me, ne?" Athrun joked.

Adam missed it as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "As for Shinn… you're probably right, Daicho. He's not the same boy I knew two years ago. If only… something could make him truly happy…."

"But that's something we can't provide."

"Ah."

The one girl onboard the Archangel wearing a ZAFT uniform walked down the hall, holding a pad to her chest. "Meyrin-san." A soft female voice called to her.

"Haro! Tyandi!"

"Eh?" Her pigtails swung as she turned her head. "Oh, Lacus-sama."

"-san, if you please. Would you mind if I join you? We seem to be going to the same place."

"Not at all." The two girls fell into pace with each other. "Ne, Lacus-sam… erm, -san, mind if I ask you a personal question?"

"Not too personal I hope."

"Ittabidakunai!"

"Well, it might be, I guess. It's just that you and Kira-san seem to be really close. Aren't you engaged to Athrun-san?"

The pink haired teen let off a slight giggle. "So that's why Athrun seemed so sensitive when I asked about the other me. The marriage was arranged in the first place, and broken when his father labeled mine a traitor."

"Oh. Why would they hide that? Everyone in ZAFT thinks it."

"Thank you! Thank you!"

"Hush, Pink-chan." The very loud, bouncy ball turned off its speakers. "Oh my, then that is a problem isn't it? Once this is all over, I'll have to break the news that my engagement is to Kira."

"EH?" Meyrin took a giant step away, blinking in surprise. "When did that happen, and why don't I see a ring on your finger?"

"It's kind of funny actually. Before Jackin Due, I had the impulse to give him the ring I received from my father's estate, my most precious item. Then I said, 'Please return, to be by my side.' I meant those words with all my heart. After the battle, and Kira was recovered, it finally sunk in that I had proposed to him! I was red for a week when I realized it. I stayed that way for two more weeks when I realized that he still had the ring. It was just too small for him to wear. In that way was his yes."

"That's actually very touching." Meyrin sighed. "But I doubt I could work up the nerve to do that with Adam, ever. He'd have to ask me."

"Your relationship is fairly new, isn't it? Should you really be thinking about marriage so early?"

"True, but a girl can dream, can't she?"

"That is one point for you." The girls started giggling as they walked down the hall once again.

Suddenly, Lacus's face fell, and her pace slowed. "Lacus-san, is something wrong?"

"Meyrin, why are you still here?" The wiser woman halted and stared at Meyrin.

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"Meyrin, you know how dangerous it will be out there. Eventually we will have to fight. You're risking your very life by staying with us. You aren't obligated to stay with us. We would of course freely send you back to PLANT if you wished. There is no reason for you to fight with us. I know that Adam is here as well, but if that's your only reason for staying, then…."

"You're wrong, Lacus-san." Meyrin cut her off quickly and defiantly. "It's true that one of the reasons that I am here is because of Adam, but there's more than just him. The truth is, I am obligated, but not by Athrun-san, Archangel, or any of you. I'm obligated by myself to see this through. What the Chairman is doing is wrong, and the ZAFT forces under him are too. That's not the same ZAFT I joined. The reasons I joined ZAFT lie with you and everyone on this ship, Lacus-san. This is my true ZAFT."

"I see. It appears I underestimated your integrity. I seem to be doing that a lot lately."

"Maybe it's just an off week for you." Meyrin resumed her pace. "You coming?"

"Hai." Lacus trotted up next to her, and continued small talk until they reached their destination.

Fllay wrapped herself up tighter in her fur coat as the hangar doors opened, letting a cold blast enter, along with a cut-and-shut mobile suit with a BaCOE head. The doors shut behind ShEZAMS, and once it was in a standing position, the eye began to flicker. The cockpit opened up and let out a burst of thick black smoke. "GYYYYEEEEEAAAAHHHH!"

The redhead just sighed and took two steps to the right. A man landed face first on the deck. "Welcome back." She stated nonchalantly.

The teen raised a finger into the air. "Alan Sheridan, reporting as requested."

"Now that you're here, follow me to the briefing room."

"Gotcha." Alan wheezed as he peeled himself off of the deck and began falling into pace behind her. "You know you really should rubberize the deck."

"Your mobile suit is the only one that rejects its pilot. It would be impractical."

"Yeah but I'm the one that always comes over here!"

In the lunar city of Copernicus, the same one that now housed the legged ship, a girl wrapped in warm clothing walked around the pool of a private residence. The atmospheric controls were tuned to the earth's seasons, it was now fall, and soon becoming winter. She held her arms as she whispered and sang to herself softly, in a slightly out of tune manner. "Shizukana konoyuru ni anata wo maateru no. Ano toki wasureta hohoemi wo torini kitte." She had sung this song many times before, but never this solemnly. She looked the reflection of her bubble-gum pink hair before she found a place to sit down. "Hane kana sugoshi dake jikan gasugite. Hoho ii dega, yasashiku…. Memories…."

"_I beg of you to not be tricked by that person's appearance."_ The thought pierced through her mind._ "I am… Lacus Clyne."_ She shook her head quickly as she shuddered, ushering it away from her consciousness.

The girl stood up once again. _"What? There's nothing to worry about. But I think it would be best if you went into hiding for a little while, until this blows over._ _It's not like I'm going to hurt you or anything. You've done a great service for us all."_

'That's right… It wasn't her who did it, it was me. Not her… me. I was the one!' She tried to tell herself.

The teen got an extreme chill and held herself even tighter. _"But even you can't keep this up forever!" _The illusion of the cold rain dribbled down her back. _"When it happens, he'll kill you too!"_

She once again tried to shake the memory from her mind. 'That would never happen! There's just no…!'

"Lacus-sama," A woman's voice called to her and she looked up. "Some tea has been prepared. So please warm yourself with it."

The girl reluctantly walked to the veranda table and took a seat as her new assistant poured a cup of the warm liquid. "Um…."

"Yes?"

"Has the Chairman sent any messages yet?"

"No, sadly. It's rather unfortunate, but it can't be helped, I suppose. After all, PLANT is in bad shape. I'm sure you know that, Lacus-sama."

Mia turned to her for a moment and back to her tea in annoyance. "Of course. Of course I know! It's just…." She realized she was going out of control and bit her tongue.

"Politics are really rough, especially now. I also heard rumor that Copernicus now has the Archangel in its hangar."

"Archangel?"

"Indeed. Now what would have caused them to come all the way to the moon?" The sandy-haired woman paused to let her words sink in. "Perhaps that girl is with them."

"Eh?"

"You know, that girl from ORB that allied herself with Archangel."

"A… eh…."

"She sure is a bother. If things keep going like this, then all the Chairman's work would be for not. I just don't get why. The real Lacus-sama isn't like that, right?" The fake Lacus-sama only took in a disturbed breath. "Lacus-sama is always leads us to the correct path because of her peace-loving attitude. But she will also lead us into battle if we need to. That's who we follow. A Lacus-sama that isn't like that is nothing but a lie."

"A lie?" Mia's voice trembled.

"I've always thought that you, the one doing your best next to the Chairman, were the real Lacus-sama."

"You…." The pop-star emulator started to stand up.

"Sarah is my name, Lacus-sama. I'm here to assist you." The woman's eyes never wavered behind her visor as her meticulous voice flowed. "Everyone's in trouble if my assessment is wrong. Am I right, Lacus-sama?" The girl felt weak in the knees as she tried to shake the memories from her mind that just wouldn't leave. "So let's sit and have tea together." Mia sat down indeed, but she gripped her head as she attempted to avoid a full blown panic attack. "I'm sure between the two of us, an idea will surface."

"I see now." Alan removed his feet from the table and leaned forward. "So you're thinking that this 'Song of Silence' is located on the EAF base at the moon's north pole."

"Exactly right." Fllay flipped on the lights.

"So… what is this 'Song of Silence' anyway?"

"We don't know, but knowing Djibril, it can't be anything good. We want you to fly out, investigate it, and destroy it before it gets a chance to attack. I'd recommend you take your new weapon with you. You did finish it, right?"

"Yeah I did. The problem right now is fuel. I won't have enough battery power to get to the destination, let alone fire the darn thing."

"I think we've got the solution to that." The redhead winked.

An EAF commander stood a tier above the techs. "Okay, we've got one shot at this, so don't screw it up! Begin system activation!"

"Beginning system activation. All primary power conduits online. CPUs 1 to 50 are online. 51 to 100 will be awake momentarily. Initializing secondary CPU system. Backups 1 to 100 online, idling normally. Chemical readings are normal. We are go for installation!"

"Install team, begin!"

"Initializing Living CPU Data installation. Memory dump activation on circuits 1 through 20. Estimated time to completion… 28 hours."

"Good, then we're right on schedule." The general took his seat and relaxed. "I truly am privileged to be here."

"We all are, sir." The head technician came up to him. "We have found no problems in the internal works."

"Excellent news. It is a magnificent machine."

"Indeed it is. To think we have 200 of the fastest computers known to man all linked together for the soul purpose of cleansing our world, it is a glorious thing to see come to life."

Athrun put the last bullet in the cartridge and slammed it into his pistol, chambering the first round. He put it in the holster hidden under his jacket and went out to meet Kira, who was also in his civilian clothes. They nodded and went to meet the others at the hatch.

"I must admit I'm excited. I haven't been out in a while." Lacus said with a smile. "I've been cooped up in ships for many months."

"Eh… how did that happen?" Meyrin stared at her, confused.

"Until a few days ago, I was out in space, and then under the sea before that."

"Ah… you really do travel, don't you?"

"Though I know it's not something that could be helped, it still is a bit…" Pink-chan started beeping and jumping as it saw its creator and his best friend approaching. Kira's robotic bird chirped at it playfully.

"You sure about this?" Athrun asked, deadpan.

"Uh? Unh." Kira responded.

Meyrin looked around. "Eh? Isn't Adam coming?"

"He said he was waiting for an important message." Kira answered her. "He's on the bridge. He wished for you to have a good time without him, though."

"Oh… okay." She looked down, disappointed, as Kira pressed the button and opened the door.

On the bridge, a video window popped up. Kira and the others were on the screen, sending the feed from an in-car videophone. "Well, we're heading out, Captain Ramius."

"Okay. But be careful out there."

"Hai." He closed the connection before they drove out of the bay and onto the streets.

"You sure we should let them go out on their own?" Neo folded his arms as he stood next to her.

"I'm sure they'll be fine. They're just heading to the city for a bit of fun. They're still kids after all. Besides, the guards are trustworthy."

"No, that's not what I meant."

"Eh?"

Suddenly Miriallia's screen beeped, and Adam answered it, as the rest of the bridge was empty. "It's for me. Let's see. 'Negative. Situation nominal. Stay with Archangel.' Okay, well that takes care of that I guess." Adam leaned back in the chair and relaxed.

Seeing that he had no intention of moving, Neo spoke up. "Hey kiddo."

"Hmm?"

"Why don't you keep an eye on our two princesses?"

"Nah, I'm fine letting them go off on their own. I trust them."

"I said…" Neo began to speak slow and articulately. "Keep an eye on our two princesses!"

Adam blinked before the light finally went on. "Oh! Gotcha! I'm gone!" He dove for the nearest exit.

"But I just said…." Murrue tried to object.

"I'm more worried about you." Neo turned to her again.

"Eh?"

"If you feel like heading out, I would be more than happy to be your escort." Murrue blinked, her mouth wide open. "Being shut inside this ship for so long must be hard for you too. You're also in a strained position."

She smiled. "Thanks for the concern. But I'm alright right where I am."

"Well then, I'll just be your escort around the ship for a while." He snaked a hand around her waist.

"Eh?" The direct manner took her completely off guard.

"Oh! Do you feel like taking a soak? We could try the mixed bath in the onsen!"

"WHA? Hey!" She whisper/yelled as he gently started guiding her to the door. "So you really aren't the same guy."

"Eh? Really?"

The lights clicked on in the storage bay and Alan's jaw went straight through the platform. "Well, will this do?" Fllay asked him as she stepped in front of him. "The P204QX Lightning Striker, equipped with the 70-31 electromagnetic cannon. Though the original was destroyed, we were able to lift the plans and make another." She turned to look at the black Strike pack with gold striping, heavy with spare batteries and cooling units for an extra-long life.

After Alan's jaw re-hinged, he swallowed and spoke. "I love you. I really do. I would kiss you if it weren't for the inevitable beating I'd receive for doing it. This is perfect! This pack will get me there and still supply enough power for the cannon!"

"We'll mount it on ShEZAMS right away. Once you pick up your supplies, you're to launch to space. We've got a flight suit ready in the locker room."

"You've got it." Alan turned around after mock-saluting her.

"Oh, and Alan." The boy stopped. "If there's anything else you think you might need, make a list of it so we can bring it with us."

"Us?"

"Didn't I tell you? Once the finishing touches are put on Gabriel, we'll be going up too."

Adam mounted his rented motorcycle and cranked the throttle, following the route his friends took. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a man with binoculars getting into a black, unmarked car. "Uh-oh." He whispered to himself.

"You know, this is actually my first time in Copernicus." Lacus chatted up Meyrin.

"Yeah, me too."

"Tyandei! Itabidakunai!" Pink-chan's voice box had been reactivated on the trip in. It frolicked around as the boys took the girls shopping.

When they made it to a music store, Kira finally spoke up. "Why are you upset, Athrun?"

"I'm more appalled then upset." He grumbled, leaning up against a replica of a piano with his arms crossed.

"I thought that was the same thing."

"But with Lacus…!"

"Huh?" The pale-pink pop princess heard her name.

"Uh, it's nothing, don't worry!" Kira countered her quickly.

"Oh, okay then." She put her headphones back on and listened to another sample of music.

Athrun let out an annoyed breath through his nose. "We're okay, Athrun." Kira countered it. "Both of us, Lacus and I. So there's no need for you to go all out by yourself. Ne?"

Athrun looked away and grunted. "You're so civilian."

Adam finally found them in a clothing store, and he went to an overhang to watch over them from there. Lacus pulled back a changing screen. "So what do you think, Kira?" She was wearing a dress made out of many shades of purple.

"Unh. It's a good one." Even Meyrin applauded in agreement with his comment.

A couple of minutes later she pulled back the shade again. "What about this one?" A black one piece with a red vest.

"Unh. That one's good too."

She shoved her wrists to her hips. "Well I guess just about everything is fine with you, isn't it?"

"But Lacus, they don't make a dress in your size that looks bad on you."

"Oh, and I suppose if I came out here completely naked, it would be fine with you too?"

"No, at that point I'd object. There's people around."

"Oh so now you don't want to be seen with me? Hmph!" She slid the screen shut.

"Tyandei!"

"Wait but…." Kira's shoulders slumped.

Meyrin giggled. "I'll have to use that one on Adam next time."

"Oh no you won't." The boy whispered to himself from above. "Hmm?" Someone in a suit was staring at the ones below from a pillar on the opposite side and didn't notice the orange-haired boy. "Oh no."

Kira joined Athrun, his arms limp at his side. "Why are women so hard to figure out?"

"You're asking me? I've been dating your sister for two years and I STILL don't understand her."

"Haro, haro! Excuse me?" A voice that Athrun never programmed sounded off. "You understand?" Deep Red-chan came bouncing towards the group with a card in its mouth.

"Haro?" Pink-chan tilted its body and flapped its arms at the newcomer.

Lacus opened the screen just in time to receive the little ball in her hands. "Oh!"

"That thing's Mia's…!" Athrun got a closer look. He whipped around and started looking for anything suspicious.

The card read "To Ms. Lacus" so she plucked it from its mouth. On the opposite side it read "Help! I'm going to killed Ms. Lacus! Mia".

"Eh?" Kira read it and gasped.

"The handwriting does seem a bit rushed."

"She even forgot to write 'be'."

"Trap." Adam nodded to himself.

"I think I smell Trap." Meyrin scratched her nose.

"Ah, it's most likely a trap, but we can't leave her like that." Athrun spoke next.

"No, I mean I smell Trap. It's wafting over from the perfume section."

Everyone blinked for a moment before falling to the floor, realizing what she said. Pink-chan started bouncing around. "That's no good! I won't admit it!"

Deep Red-chan hopped out of Lacus's free hand and joined it. "Hello! What's your name?"

Athrun was the first up. "Meyrin, could we?"

"Eh?" She responded. "Oh that! Of course it's a trap, it's completely obvious!"

"M…Meyrin…" Adam's eyebrow twitched as he hoisted himself up with the railing. "You really didn't notice, did you?"

"Damn it!" Athrun balled his fist. "They did this even though they know we know!"

"So this girl is…" Kira wanted to confirm it.

"Exactly. Mia Campbell, Gichou's Lacus." After thinking for a moment, he turned to Kira. "You and Lacus should head back to the ship, right now."

"Eh?"

"Oh hang on. I'll call for backup. Gimmie a sec." Just as Athrun was pulling out his phone, it began to ring. "Moshi moshi?"

"Behind your back and look up." Athrun turned around and set his sights above. Adam waved to him. "You ordered some backup? I don't think they know I'm with you guys."

"Ah. That's good. We don't know what their goal is."

"I'm coming with you." Lacus said with a smile.

"HAH? Baka…!"

"The one that this person needs is me."

"But…."

"Resolutions need to be made between us anyway. Ne, Kira?"

"Uh… unh." He responded quietly.

"Kira!" Athrun snapped at lightning speed.

"I wish to meet that girl." Lacus finished her thought, drawing surprised noises from both Meyrin and Athrun.

"Okay then." Kira spoke after a moment of thought. "Then we should call the ship up first."

"Uh… have you forgotten everything from the military?" Athrun's jaw dropped.

"It'll all work out, Athrun. Since we know it's a trap, and everyone's here, we should be fine, right?"

"Agh!" Athrun put a hand to his forehead in disbelief. "You don't go into a trap unless you know it's a trap. But that doesn't work if they know you know it's a trap. Do you know what that makes it? A trap trap! Trust me, trap traps are not pretty!"

"Then why don't we make it a trap trap trap? We do have Adam up there after all." Kira smiled.

"Do you know how unlikely a trap trap trap is to work? Wait, how long have you known he's been up there?"

In the Copernicus amphitheater, an outdoor complex modeled after the amphitheaters of ancient times, the girl with bubblegum hair sat silently in waiting. From the opposite end, Athrun quietly looked around a pillar. "Haro, haro! Thank you very much!" His position was quickly revealed as Deep Red-chan bounced joyfully to its owner.

He stepped out of the shadows. "Mia?"

Her mid-blue eyes went wide, seeing the miracle standing before her. "Athrun? Athrun!" She got up and began running towards him.

"Tch! The idiot!" Sarah hissed from her location. "She was supposed to lure them to the stage!" She ran to find a better one.

"Athrun, I can't believe it's you! You're really alive! I'm so…."

"That's as far as you go." He lifted his arm and pointed his pistol at her.

She screeched to a halt. "Athrun…."

"Your message was received. And I also know about this trap. But there are no more chances after this, Mia! That's why I'm here."

"Athrun." Lacus came out from behind the pillar, with Kira and Meyrin on each side of her, ready to shoot anything that moved.

"Lacus-sama…!"

"Hello there, Mia-san." She smiled sweetly. "I'm glad to meet you." All three of her bodyguards moved forward as she did. The girl she spoke to backed up and she started to squeak as she breathed. "Your letter said you needed help, and that you were marked for death. If that's so, then come with me, to a place where you'll be safe."

The younger girl's mixed up logic came to her mind. "It was me, damn it! It was all me!"

"Mia!" Athrun tried to reach her mind with his voice.

A man with a rifle just above the stage got a tap on his shoulder, which he turned around to see. "Hi there." Adam gave him a hard knuckle sandwich.

"Mia, just calm down a little, okay? This will all work out, so…."

"Damn it, I'm Lacus!" She went back another step. "I am, aren't I? I have her voice. I have her face. They're the same! I'm Lacus! Why can't I be her?" She pulled a pistol from her handbag. Athrun fired quickly, shooting it out of her hand. "Agh!"

"Mia, enough of this. You're not…."

"If you desire my name, then I give it to you." The true one spoke. "If you desire my appearance, then it shall be yours as well." She stepped next to Athrun and looked at her with concern and sincerity. "But that still does not keep us from being two different humans. We each have our own lives, and that can't change." Mia fell to her knees in defeat as Sarah lined up her scope, but Athrun prevented her from getting a clear shot as Lacus. "We cannot be anyone other than ourselves. Isn't that why the both of us are here?" Lacus leaned forward just slightly. "Isn't that how we meet others, and identify ourselves?" Her words began to draw tears from the other's eyes. "You have your own dream. If you wish to sing, then sing for yourself. Don't let anyone use your dream for themselves."

"I've got you." Sarah whispered to herself as she prepared to squeeze the trigger.

"Torii!" The surveillance robot chirped, making her twitch on the trigger.

Athrun turned towards its general direction and saw the muzzle reflection. "Lacus!" He grabbed here and pushed her down.

"Tch!" Sarah quickly chambered the next round and started firing.

Athrun handed Lacus off to Kira and pulled her behind a pillar. Athrun went for Mia and took her behind the closest one, shielding her quickly as two bullets grazed the corner. "Kira! Meyrin!"

"I'm okay!" Meyrin said, having found a shield of her own.

"Over here!" Kira said. Then the shooting really started. Men started to come down from hidden places in the stands with rifles and machine guns. Athrun picked up the girl and ran to the next pillar over amidst machine gun fire. A pistol seemed meager in comparison, but Athrun fired two shots anyway before ducking behind the pillar again. A man started to repel down the wall they were hiding in. One shot from Adam's newly acquired rifle removed the back of his head.

"Mia, how many are there? Do you know?"

"I don't know! I thought it was only Sarah!" Mia covered her head and started to sob in pure fear.

Athrun fired again at a man who had left his cover, but the range was too far. He ducked before another clip of bullets was sprayed at him. "Tch!" He leapt from his hiding spot amidst heavy fire and dove behind the edge of the stone seating. Two men fired at him and missed. When their attacks died down he took aim at the one up high and fired two shots at him. The lower one's head was aerated by Adam, from his sniper's nest.

Mia's fear paralyzed her. Not true with Lacus, as she calmly padded her way on her hands and knees to her location. "Mia-san." Her voice itself had a calming effect on her. "Everything will be fine, okay?"

Sarah got up from her position and fired into the bleacher that covered Athrun. He instantly took two more shots, one that disabled her weapon and one that grazed her arm. Kira returned fire at the man that was closest to them. "Ah! Grenade! Run!" They got to another location just before it blew.

"Damn it!" Adam hissed as he took out the one who tried to blow up his girl.

Athrun broke into a run and leapt up in front of another enemy and riddled him with holes before he could become a target. Sarah volleyed a grenade with her good arm. Kira shot it out in midair, deflecting it back. The explosion sent her flying. Adam used the repelling rope to slide down and take out the last one. Akatsuki flew through the limited airspace. "Oi. What the?" Neo landed on the stage. "You kids okay?"

"You're late, Mwu-san!"

"Uh?"

"Just hurry and get Lacus away from here."

"That's why I'm here."

Adam ran up to the group, dropping the rifle and grabbing Meyrin. "Are you okay?"

"Unh. I'm fine."

"How about you, Kira?" Athrun said.

"Yeah, dunno how though."

"Sorry I get you involved in all of this, Meyrin." He quickly apologized.

"It comes with the territory." Meyrin shrugged it off and turned to Adam. "It was the first time that was really hard."

"Onboard your chariot, princess." Akatsuki put its metal hand to the ground. Kira began lifting his love onto the palm. Sarah regained consciousness at the same time and used what little strength she had to raise a pistol.

"Okay, you too." Kira said to Lacus's twin.

Feeling awkward, she looked around for a natural escape. But instead she found a great danger in Sarah. "Get down!" Mia screeched as she dove. A shot rang out, startling everyone. Mia went down, spilling blood on the stone. Kira and Athrun jumped in front of her as Lacus ran to her side. Athrun fired twice, the second shot piercing Sarah's heart.

"Mia-san! Mia-san!" Lacus took the girl into her arms.

The girl opened her eyes slightly. "My… song and… life…." She drew a photograph out of her handbag. "Don't… forget them… please."

Lacus looked at her as her true self. "You have a very kind face. So this is the real you."

"Mia!" After checking the body, Athrun ran back to the girl and knelt beside her.

"I truly did… love you." She whispered to him. "And I'm sorry… we all… met like this…."

"Mia!"

Meyrin put her face into Adam's shoulder as he himself looked away, his brow trembling. One last time, the girl turned her head to look at her idol, tears streaming down her tender cheeks. "I'm sorry." With that, her body went limp.

"Mia-san!"

"Mia! KUSO!" Athrun's knuckles met rock as tears began to run from his eyes.

ShEZAMS, with the Lightning Striker equipped to its back, and his own METEOR locked in at its waist, sat in its "runway" as Alan finished his checklist. "Okay… here we go. Alan Sheridan, ShEZAMS, up up and away!" Nothing happened. "Um… Alan Sheridan, ShEZAMS, to infinity and beyond!" Again the engines wouldn't start. "Oh come on, please don't make me say it." The entire cockpit went black. Alan sighed. "Fine, I'll say it. Danger Will Robinson, danger, danger." Everything lit up again including the engines. ShEZAMS lifted off and proceeded to build up speed to exit the atmosphere with.

Chapter 34 Preview: All that's left is a reflection. It can never be the real thing, just an emulation or a part of the original. As sights are set on the ultimate enemies, what is the reflection good for? Next time on Old Friends Anew: Mirror. Mark your place in the pages of history, Gabriel!

Author's Note: Sorry for being so late everyone. I just started work a week and a half ago, and I've been trying to adjust to becoming a morning person, which means not as much time for writing, because the late night is when I do my best work.


	34. Old Friends Anew Ch 34

Old Friends Anew 34

Phase-34: Mirror

Back in the hangar, the entire off duty crew lined the halls as Athrun carried Mia's limp form. His face showed no strain in lifting her, it showed nothing at all. "While protecting Lacus-san…?" Murrue whispered to Neo as he gave his report.

"Ah. She's the only one that saw. She took the block, and even though it was on my unit's hand…. I was useless."

In the EAF base at the north pole of the moon, the head technicians were all assembled in front of the base's commander. "It's already been an hour after the program finished installation!" The commander slammed his hand down. "Why haven't we started the next phase?"

"Well, you see sir… the program… won't activate."

"Explain, damn it!"

"Well you see, for something like this, a simple execute command won't work. There are systems, and subsystems that have to be turned on all at once, and we haven't found a correct sequence."

"Useless piece of trash! Are you saying that all this was for nothing? No one saw this coming before?"

"We did." A woman said, standing in the doorframe.

"And you are?"

"80th Independent Division, Psycho-electronic research division colonel. You may call me by my call sign, 'White Angel.' I have top level clearance, and also designed a piece of the system you're working with." Her blonde hair flowed down her back as she approached the desk.

"And your input to this conversation would be…."

"Send a human into the system using my virtual reality program. This kind of system isn't defined by ons and offs. To access the system and make it do what you want, you need interaction, else 'she' will never awaken."

"Y…you're White Angel?" The techs stepped back a few feet. "No way! Commander, she's with Blue Cosmos! She's killed hundreds, if not thousands for the sake of research. Besides I heard that system is so da…." A gunshot rang through the room. The man fell to the floor, a bullet hole in the back of his throat.

"Never insult my baby." The woman blew the smoke away from her gun and re-holstered it. She turned to the commander with a sweet smile. "It will work. Besides, I don't intend on putting any of your halfwitted soldiers in my machine. I've assembled the top people in the required field for this job." The commander couldn't move, stunned by her action of dispatching with the man in cold blood. His hand slowly reached under the desk for his panic button. Suddenly the gun was pressed against his head. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. You wouldn't want Lord Djibril's legacy to be lost forever, would you?" She stared at him with a cold unfeeling and ice blue gaze. Killing was something this woman could do easy.

"N…no ma'am. But who did you bring with you?"

"Isn't it obvious? To play parts, you need actors! And I've assembled the most beautiful of them all."

Athrun and the others stood in the cold dark room Mia was being preserved in while burial plans were being made. "She came from PLANT, right?" Kira asked his childhood friend. "Is her name all you know?"

"No, I don't know. I never really asked." He whispered.

Lacus went through the girl's purse to make sure any personal effects were included, and her ID would have helped out a lot. She found nothing of the sort. Just some lipstick, a schedule book, and a compact mirror. "Oh?" In a hidden pocket was a computer disk. "Is this…?" The others turned to her. "Kira…."

The long blonde only known as White Angel ran her fingers across a keyboard. The men behind her crossed their arms as they waited impatiently. Soon a picture came onto the giant screen. "There we go. The VR interpreter is working perfectly. We should see her in three… two… one…." A three-dimensional image of a girl lying in a bed appeared on screen. A regular tech beside her got a nosebleed and fell to the floor. She whipped out her pistol and dispatched with him. "Useless…. If anyone else feels like spilling some blood from their nose, I'll make sure it's not the only blood you spill, is that clear?" She yelled at everyone else. Three other techs scrambled to mop up their noses.

"Colonel Angel," One of the men behind her spoke up. "Is it really necessary to have her portrayed like that? I mean… she's nude."

"Why yes my dear," She smiled sweetly. "Your objective is to get her to put on her flight suit. Once she does she'll be fully integrated into the control system."

"But couldn't you at least put a blanket over her? Right now… it's just indecent." Another man that looked like the first's twin brother spoke.

"Oh?" She stood up in a slumped posture, with a very creepy look on her face. "Are you saying you don't LIKE my system? The system I spent YEARS perfecting? My beautiful baby that was ripped from my loins, you don't LIKE it?"

"Ma'am, we never said…."

"You said it! You don't like that she's nude, meaning you don't like how I've set up the system!" She started crying. "How cruel…. Didn't your mother teach you two to be polite to others? Didn't your father teach you to respect your elders? Do I have to be your mommy and teach you a lesson?" She pulled out her pistol and held it to the first's temple.

"N…no need Ma'am. T…to show our love for your system, w…we will volunteer to be the first ones in…."

"That's a good boy. Mommy's taught you well." She put the gun back in her holster. "The safety was on by the way."

In Athrun and Kira's bunk, the brown haired boy booted up the mysterious disk while the others waited around for him. There was only one file of merit in the folder, and Kira opened it. It read:

11th Oct.

Today my bandage was finally taken off. A little strange feeling --- I saw the mirror, and then there's a face that's Lacus Clyne.

"This must be…." Kira muttered as he read the text silently.

"Mia's…." Athrun continued.

"Journal entries?" Lacus completed the thought. Adam fidgeted as he watched from all the way in the back.

"Okay we do this as planned." Two familiar faces in custom EAF uniforms walked up to the blonde girl's bed.

"I know, I know. Just make sure you get your part right." The second of the two grumbled. He cleared his throat before he smiled brightly. "Oi, Stellar! Come on, it's morning already!" The voice was a perfect emulation of Auel, whom the actor was disguised as.

The second one crossed his arms. "You always were the slowest to get up." Sting's voice came out of his mouth. "Even so, this takes the cake. Do you even know how much trouble you're in?"

The girl in the bed didn't move. The two shared a look at each other and nodded. Auel turned it up a notch in volume. "OI, little baka! Time to wake up, sleepyhead! Man, she's really out this time, Sting."

"And look at that, she isn't even dressed yet." Sting rolled his eyes. "Stellar, wake up would you? At least get dressed and come to the meeting with us."

"Yeah yeah! If you fall asleep in briefing, we can cover for you, you know." Auel nodded his head confidently. Stellar didn't even budge.

"Honestly!" Sting scoffed and slumped, before he decided to grab her shoulders.

"Oi oi!" Auel stepped back. "You sure that's a good idea?"

"We've tried everything else." Sting yanked Stellar into sitting position. "Hey Stellar! No more fooling around! We've got to go!" He shook her slightly. Stellar's eyebrow twitched. "There we go, now we've got something. Come on! Rise and shine!"

What the green haired teen didn't know was that her memory banks had pulled up something very recent. Her mind replayed how Chaos was destroyed over and over again as her mind made use of the 200 best computers in the Earth Sphere she was now contained in. When she opened her eyes, to her it was not Sting shaking her awake, but his burnt corpse. Seeing the horrid creature in front of her, she screamed madly. The entire environment shook and the two teens covered their ears.

"Gah! What the hell?" Auel tried to speak over her. "God damn it! It's too much! I'm pulling out!" He disappeared.

As Stellar kept screaming, Sting's body began convulsing. He pulled away a bloody hand from his ear. "Stel…lar…." He collapsed to the floor, motionless. Sting's body disappeared from the spot, leaving Stellar to herself. The poor girl welcomed the blackness of shutdown to clear her head of the gruesome sight burned into her retinas. All went back to normal, as if the entire altercation had never happened in the first place.

Outside of virtual reality, the one man that logged out first held the limp form of his twin. "Bro, hey big bro. Come on man, wake up! It was only a simulation, so get up already!"

"I'm afraid that's not possible." White Angel walked up to them. "Such a detailed system requires some… sacrifices to be made. If the mind thinks it is dead, then the body will follow. That girl killed him in the system, so his mind no longer exists."

"Damn you! Why didn't you tell us about this before?" The younger brother's tears flew into the air as he yelled at the blonde woman above him.

She pulled out her pistol and pressed it against his forehead. "Because if you fail…." It took mere microseconds before the bullet left the muzzle. "You're dead either way."

Athrun let out a breath in a silent sigh as he stared at the screen, unwavering. Adam got up from his position by the bed. "I'm sorry. I just don't feel comfortable with reading this." He quickly went out the door.

"Ah? Adam!" Meyrin moved to follow.

"Let him go." Kira said without his eyes ever leaving the screen. "He'll find his own way." These words stopped Meyrin's advance, and she returned to her place.

"Report." The EAF commander didn't even look up from the papers he was signing.

White Angel sat with her legs crossed and polished her sidearm with a handkerchief. "The first attempt failed."

"The reason?"

"It appears as though she had an adverse reaction to one of the avatars."

"Where are we on getting the next attempt?"

"In a few moments. Instead of working with familiars for avatars, we'll be approaching with a more…" She reloaded her weapon with a loud click. "…authoritative figure."

Adam sighed as he leaned forward on the railing on the observation deck of the Archangel. It wasn't much of a view, considering they were in dry dock. Neo, who was passing through to get to his quarters, saw him and stopped. "Hmm?"

"Eh? Oh, it's you Neo." Adam looked his way for a moment before returning back to his place.

"Yep, the one and only." He joined the younger at the window, leaning backwards onto the sill. "So, why you all the way over here, kiddo?"

"I just didn't feel right reading that diary of Gichou's Lacus."

"Well that's rather noble of you, isn't it? All the others are technically putting their noses where they don't belong."

"I really don't think that at all, it's just that I really don't feel that much for her."

"Now you just sound insensitive."

"Oh no, don't get me wrong, I'm sympathetic. It's terrible to see someone try to be someone else and failing, and to be killed like that…. It's just that I didn't really know her. Hell, Meyrin knows her better than I do. The only thing I really know of her is the high-heeled shoe she stepped on me with. And to suddenly just start reading her diary so soon after she died? No, I can't stand for that."

"Mah. There's something to be said for that, but don't forget, in a sense you did know her."

"Eh?"

"Technically the world knew her. Her voice, her beliefs, her actions. Though they all thought that Lacus Clyne was the one saying it, it was still her that was doing it. Everything she's done has a part of herself included."

"I never really thought of it that way." Adam sighed as he slumped his head into his arms.

"Well, kiddo, I've got to get going. The captain asked me to do the funeral flight, but I'm going to ask her to let you take the job."

"Huh? What?" The boy straightened up. "Why me?"

"Because there's always a first time to get to know someone, before they're gone forever." Neo placed a hand on his shoulder for a moment before heading to the opposite exit. "Ja na."

A man in a gray EAF uniform walked silently into Stellar's room. His mask did nothing to hide his shoulder length blonde hair, and he didn't care. He was on a mission. "Stellar." Neo's voice whispered from his lips. "Stellar, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Her eyebrows twitched and she tossed slightly. "Ne…o…."

"Yes, that's right, it's me."

Slowly her eyes opened, and her deep purple orbs came to rest upon the masked man. Stellar smiled slightly. "Neo…."

"You must be cold." A sheet appeared on his arm and he quickly draped it over her. "Here, that should be a little better for you." Stellar just smiled as she wrapped herself up in it. Neo sat down in a chair that materialized just before his posterior was to make contact with it. "Did you sleep well, Stellar?"

"Unh." She whispered and yawned.

"Looks like you're still a little sleepy." Neo chuckled a little. "I don't blame you. You've had to go through a lot lately."

"Unh." Stellar said as she sat up, holding the sheet against her. She looked around the completely drab space. "Neo… where…?"

Neo interrupted before she could say any more. "Forgive me Stellar. I once again have to ask you to go into battle."

"Battle? Stellar must fight?"

"Yes. A mean person will kill us all if you don't."

"Mean person… scary person…" A memory switch was triggered. "Creepy things!"

"That's right."

"Creepy things… kill Stellar?"

"Ah."

"Creepy things… kill Neo too?"

"Correct."

"Agh!" Stellar's voice caught in her throat as she saw a memory of Neo's Windam being destroyed.

"The creepy things will kill Neo, and Stellar…."

"NO! Creepy things killed Neo!" The girl jumped backwards.

"Uh?"

"Creepy things killed Neo! Creepy things make fake Neo!"

Neo tried to put a smile on his stunned face. "Stellar, what are you talking about? It's m…."

"Stellar doesn't want to die!" She dove for the actor, baring her fingernails like claws.

"Guh!" The man grunted as her hands wrapped around his neck. "Ste…."

"Stellar won't die! I won't die! Creepy thing, go away!" She twisted her wrists hard, and a loud crack sounded off from the man's neck. Stellar knew it was over. She dropped the man and backed into the bed, shuddering. Neo vanished, never to be seen again. The girl wrapped herself in the sheet again and pulled her knees up to her chest. "Sting couldn't protect. Auel couldn't protect. Neo couldn't protect." Tears welled up in her eyes as she started to cry. "Shinn, please come. Keep your promise to Stellar."

Outside of the virtual world, as two men dragged the newly deceased actor's body out the door, White Angel stood with her mouth agape. "That's impossible! She was programmed to obey his every command! Killing him was just…just…. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?" She screamed at the nearest techie.

"Um…um…" The target of her assault ran through his computer screen as he tried to find something to satisfy her. "Here it is!"

"Let me see that!" She flung him out of the way and nearly pressed her face against the terminal. "Wh…what the hell? The superiority commands have been overridden! It even looks as if the block words have been changed, but this doesn't look like one of her technicians' work."

"What does that mean, ma'am?" The floored man sat up and adjusted his glasses.

"It's almost as if she did it all herself…."

"Isn't that impossible?"

"OF COURSE IT IS!" She snarled and whipped out her pistol. "Don't take this personally, I just need to kill someone right now." A few moments later she blew the smoke off and holstered the weapon again as she took a deep breath. "The rest of you find out what happened. If she remade her own programming there had to be some type of catalyst for it."

"Yes ma'am!"

"And tell the janitor to get the big mop out again."

Without even saying a word to anyone, Athrun slowly walked out the door. "Athrun-san?" Meyrin sent a question that was left unanswered as the door shut.

Kira and Lacus shared a look between them. "Lacus, please take over."

"Hai." With that, Kira was up and out the door going after his best friend.

"I'm guessing that was unexpected of Athrun-san?" Meyrin asked as she took the over-the-shoulder position to see the screen.

"Very."

"Colonel, I have the results from the investigation to report." An EAF ensign saluted White Angel.

"About damn time. Let me see it." He handed her the pad. The blonde woman quickly scrolled through the technical stuff until she got to the final conclusion. "So this is the cause? This 'Shinn Asuka' boy?"

"Yes, we believe so. Her memory banks are littered with his name and image, some thought to be previously deleted by past treatments."

"Amazing. She must have done it to keep her from forgetting him. So, who is he?"

"There's not much we know. Her mind isn't exactly the best for getting accurate information from. But we did manage to find a match in a report submitted by Sting Oakley to Neo Lorranoke." He slid her a photo of the meeting when Shinn and Athrun had returned Stellar to Sting and Auel. "It is quite possible that this boy is a ZAFT red coat."

"ZAFT!" She shot up and fired her weapon into the photograph. "Of all the people, why'd she choose a ZAFT member? No matter. I'm getting an idea for the next runthrough." She walked to the viewscreen Stellar was depicted on, still rocking back and forth on her bed, in fear and tears. "This time she won't refuse us." She licked her lips.

Kira eventually found Athrun outside the ship, staring at the engines. He joined him wordlessly. No one really said anything for a few minutes. These two were true friends, not needing to say anything in order to understand the other, and waiting patiently for the final result. "I never should have acknowledged her from the very beginning." The blue-haired teen finally spoke. "I should have voiced that he shouldn't do something like that."

"Unh. But I don't think anyone can say that at first. At least not until later, when most of everything else is understood. Lacus and I probably would have believed the Chairman if we hadn't been attacked. He is one that said he'd rather not fight, after all. But deciding everything for everyone with 'This is what Lacus believes' is a problem. A Lacus that's different from that is an obstacle."

"Ah."

"That's such a conceited world."

"Such true words…."

The sound of footsteps reached Stellar's ears. She froze for a second, and then covered herself completely with her sheet in an attempt to hide in the barren room. The footsteps halted in front of her bed. "Heh, that's not going to fool anyone, you know." Stellar twitched for a second, but then shot up to sitting position, letting her covers fall away. "So this is where you were, Stellar." In front of her was a familiar boy with black hair and red eyes.

Stellar's stunned look turned to one of pure joy as she jumped into his arms. "Shinn! You're here! You're here!"

"Ah. I was looking everywhere for you." He embraced her warmly.

"It's so scary here! Shinn, I was afraid!"

"But I'm here now, ne? We don't have to stay here any more."

"Shinn…." She sighed as she nestled her head into his chest.

"Stellar, pick a place, anywhere you want to go, and I'll take you there."

"Stellar can go anywhere?"

"Unh."

"Shinn too?"

"Of course! I'm here to stay!"

"Hmm…." Stellar let go of him and sat on the bed and put a hand to her cheek while she thought.

"Take your time, Stellar."

"Ah! Stellar wants to go to the beach with Shinn!"

"Okay! That sounds great! But don't go too deep in the water, you still can't swim yet." Shinn chuckled.

"Unh." The girl jumped up, ready for Shinn to take her there.

"Oh yeah, don't forget to put on your dress." Shinn held out his arms and her favorite blue and purple dress appeared in them.

Stellar looked down at her lack of clothing and quickly snatched her dress up and turned around. "Shinn saw Stellar as Stellar only… again." She blushed brightly.

Lacus stood over the cold body of her double, gripping the girl's journal disk tightly to her chest. She now understood the true Mia, the true desires of a girl who just wanted to change the world, and she was filled with regret and sorrow. As the true girl began sobbing, not caring about the tears streaming down her face, a comforting hand was placed on her shoulder. Turning to see Kira's soft smile was enough. Lacus fell into him, and the boy allowed her to cry on his shoulder. Though three other warm bodies were in the room, they kept silent. Words were unnecessary and unwanted.

Lacus recalled Mia's last wish and pulled her head up. "I will never forget, Mia-san."

"Okay, Stellar, open your eyes."

The girl slowly lifted her eyelids. "Woaaaa!" She smiled at the scenery. A beautiful mid-afternoon day on an ocean beach, waves just lightly splashing on the fine sand, with gulls in the air, soaring and diving for fish.

"Is it good, Stellar?" Shinn smiled from behind her.

"Unh!" Stellar nodded quickly and grabbed his hand. "Come!"

"Uh? Hey! Woah!" Shinn went off balance as he got pulled towards the shore by the girl. Soon he regained his pace and chased after her as she twirled and skipped ahead. Both laughed like giddy children as they took their shoes off and splashed in the shallow waves. "Does this make you happy, Stellar?"

"Unh, it does." She squeaked as a cold wave lapped against her heels. "Shinn, thank you."

"I'm glad. You've always been so sad. It makes me happy to see you like this."

Stellar stopped in her tracks. "Shinn makes me happy. Shinn makes me happy even when scary things are around." She walked up to him and looked into his eyes.

"Stel…lar…."

She wrapped him in a tight hug. "Shinn, I love you."

"Stellar, I…."

Their eyes met and an instinct came over the girl. She closed her eyes and pursed her lips. She didn't even know what this motion meant to her, but she was apprehensive and anxious. "Shinn…."

"Kgh!" Shinn grunted as the warm contact of his arms left her body.

"Shinn?" She opened her eyes to see what was wrong. "Shinn!"

Shinn was being held in midair by some thick metal cables that wrapped around his arms and neck. "Stel…lar!"

"SHINN!"

All of the ORB officers from Archangel, Kusanagi, and the other Izumo classes, gathered around a white coffin. As a sign of respect, Lacus placed the last handful of pure-white flowers around Mia, who wore the most elegant dress, and the last one she would ever wear. The clear glass lid was closed, and loaded into a waiting glider shuttle as Adam sealed his helmet. The yellow suited boy swung himself into his unit's cockpit and waited for the signal. Once the procession was clear, and the glider's systems were hooked into his own, it was finally his turn. "Adam Cancho, Eagle and Peaceful Dove, taking off." The mobile armor and its towed package shot into the stars.

Adam maneuvered his way around small obstacles obstructing the route. At one point, he turned on the video monitor to see the girl's blank face. "Attention passenger, this is your captain speaking. We are currently underway to our destination and we plan to arrive on schedule. However there seems to be a bit of solar wind turbulence, so we ask that you remain in your seats for the entire flight unless a bathroom break is necessary. Thank you for your cooperation and enjoy your stay on Gundam Airlines."

After a few moments of nothingness, he sighed. "Okay, so it was a bad joke. I'm sorry." A response was never given.

"You know, my only real memory of you was a painful one. When you slammed that high heel of yours into my chest, remember that? Guess not. You didn't even realize I was there."

"I suppose I should apologize to you though." Adam sighed again. "When I first saw you on screen, I just labeled you as a slut because of your dressing habits. Now that I understand more, I realize I was wrong."

The silence went on once again as Adam maneuvered around a scrap asteroid. "Everyone really did love you, you know. I hope you have comfort in the fact that you touched the hearts of billions."

A few seconds later, he felt his chest heaving, catching him off guard. "But not being able to redeem yourself after you realized what went wrong… that's so cruel." He flipped his visor open and shook out the tears that were floating in his helmet. "Everyone deserves a chance to redeem themselves. But you never got that chance." He sighed and continued to tear up. "I want you to know that I for one forgive you." He looked up to the body of the girl on his screen, but it showed no acknowledgement.

Once his tears had finally stopped flowing, he flipped his visor shut. His computer beeped soon after. "Looks like we're at the set point." Eagle stopped, turned around and caught Peaceful Dove. "I suppose this is where we say goodbye." He detached the tow cable and pointed the ship towards its target, the sun. He remote-activated the booster in the glider and it ignited, rocketing forward. "Farewell and god-speed, Mia Campbell." Both he and Eagle saluted as they watched the girl head on her final journey. Before the transmission cut out, it almost seemed as though there was a small smile on her face.

Dullindal began to broadcast to the world once again. It was expected this time, because of what Requiem had done to PLANT, so everyone tuned in. "Just like everyone else, my anger is boiling inside my body, sorrow fueling it. Why is it something like this happened? Sadly there is no point in asking that at this time, but my heart still wanders in search of an answer. We had just gone through a war no more than three years ago, and we had promised back then to not let anything like it happen again. Even so, Junius Seven fell despite our best efforts to prevent it. A new war began and grew out of proportion and it has brought us to this point again, filled with pain and suffering. What does it all mean? Will we repeat all tragedies that were labeled foolish? One cause of this was, of course, the existence and prominence of Logos, without a doubt. They created enemies, fanned the flames of fear, and instigated them to fight, feeding off the battles. They thrived in the darkness as our history has played out, the dealmakers of death. But their reign has already come to an end. Thus I would like to announce at this time something new."

"This might be the start of it all." Murrue said from her captain's chair.

"Hai." Lacus whispered.

"There is one other enemy we must fight against! To be free, we must defeat it!"

"Uh?" Connie let out a little gasp, after the initial celebration. "Is this what Adam…."

"I'm sure you understand already why fighting never seemed to end, even since it started in ancient times. Our enemy has always been in existence, one that we could not conquer until now: our own ignorance and ambitions!" Everyone around the world let out confused and stunned gasps. "Even after leaving the Earth behind and casting ourselves into the heavens, and even after learning the secrets of our hidden strengths, people cannot understand others or themselves for that matter because of all the uncertainty that exists in not knowing of the future. The equality… no, more than that, to be wealthier, the ever-stretching claw named ambition is what classifies our society today. The seeds of fighting lie there. The problems that cause fighting are there. The time has come to end that era once and for all. This is the time to bring it all to an end."

Fllay flipped into the center seat of a large room. "Here it comes…."

"We now possess the technology to conquer it. It's an answer that is contained within each of us."

"Gilbert…!" Glady's eyes went wide.

"Chairman…." Shinn's mind finally understood the real meaning behind Dullindal's words the day of Athrun's defection.

"With these answers, we will know each other, our own selves, and our future. There is no other way to stop these tragedies from repeating endlessly. We will now institute the final defensive to preserve the existence of mankind! The Destiny Plan shall begin its activity starting now!"

Fllay sighed. "Turn it off." The officer sitting to her right flipped the switch and the screen went blank.

"Looks like things are going to wind up hectic." Appolly turned to her. "It's a good thing this ship was completed in time. Maybe we'll be able to lend a hand."

"Ah, but supporting Sherridan on his mission comes first. Speaking of that, where is he? Have we gotten any updates?"

Alan swung his hammer hard on the left hand engine of METEOR. There was no sound in space but it resounded in his suit as his feet were magnetized to it. "You just HAD to suck IN some OZONE didn't you?" He swung with each emphasis. "Now it's STUCK in the intake BUFFER pressurized so MUCH that the TURBINES won't SPIN! Do you hate me that much?" He looked to ShEZAMS for an answer, and it gave none. "Stupid PIECE of SH…." With the last blow the panel flew open, knocking the hammer out of his hand and shooting out a spray of gasses. The piece of maintenance equipment began its trip to Mars. "AND YOU OWE ME A NEW HAMMER, DAMN IT!"

Fllay sweatdropped when she heard the report. "I should have expected as much from him. In any case, we have to hurry if we're going to make it on time. Begin launch sequence!"

"Roger that, beginning launch sequence. Engine activation in three… two… one… engine startup complete, no problems reported. Conduit online. FCS online. We've got a good power flow, and we're calibrating to the main batteries… contact. System is all green. Gabriel, all systems online. Launch sequence checklist complete."

Fllay nodded to her first officer. "Gabriel, hashin!"

A large stone façade opened up in the mountain above the city. The small garrison of ZAFT forces there were completely taken off guard as a gray ship with green trim slowly pushed its way out of the giant hatch, legs first. It took to the sky quickly, giving them no time to react. They could only scan the radar shadow of the unknown before it went out of range. The base commanders couldn't believe the sight of the silhouette. It was of the Archangel class.

Chapter 35 Preview: Yes, we did wish for it. That world without battle. Those long missed peaceful days. But is this the correct path? As the world is impacted by the Plan, their eyes are taken away from who they should be watching. ORB. Arzachel. The actions of today will determine who stands tomorrow as the Sherridan Sidequest reaches its critical phase. Next time on Old Friends Anew: Carving Out a New World. Show the world that fate can be changed, ShEZAMS!

Author's Note 1: Sorry for the extended hiatus on this chapter. I have had a lot of problems to deal with in life, so this was pushed to the back burner. I also don't think this chapter is quite as well written as some of the others and I spent time attempting to revise it, and failing, so I just went with the original.

Author's Note 2: Yes, White Angel is the "mother" Auel refered to in his flashback.

Author's Note 3: Vampwriter, where the hell are you?


	35. Old Friends Anew Ch 35

Old Friends Anew 35

Phase-35: Carving Out a New World

The supercomputer inside of Messiah began to light up as power flowed to its circuits. A woman's voice echoed through the silicon halls, eerily similar to Abby's. "Destiny Plan systems beginning activation. Procedure One, identification genome database online. Hypersive server, link established."

All of the earth sphere was stunned and confused by the announcement. The confusion would be cleared up the moment all the computer systems were momentarily taken over by the Destiny Plan server, detailing the full points to the plan. All were riveted to their screens as the electronic Abby continued to explain. "Destiny Plan is the perfect solution and mankind's salvation. It consists of information Coordinators discovered during their experiments with genetic engineering, and can be utilized with the high level of technology we possess today. Each person holds a library of information within them. Personality, ability, preferences, even inherited diseases can be read by a simple drawing of blood. It's very important that we know about them first." A small caricature of Djibril talking down to Dullindal appeared on screen. "Currently, you may be poorly placed." Both were handed cards, Djibril was carted away, and Dullindal moved into his place, a decision that made amputated hands applaud. "Each ability is precious and hidden, possibly even to oneself, could be latent inside you. That is what mankind loses. Let us all examine ourselves and learn about all we are capable of. This is the large and beautiful step towards the perfect future for you."

"Hwaaah." Arthur stood amazed at the concept of it all. Luna furrowed her brow and took off from the lounge at top speed.

Ray and Shinn looked on from their quarters. "This is… what Gichou is?" Shinn was agape, like most of the rest of the world.

"I see no reason for you to be surprised." The blonde didn't move from his seat.

"Uh?"

"I think you already knew what Gichou was striving for, what kind of world."

"Unh… That's true. Even with that, just shoving this into the world's face won't change it. That's a huge problem!"

"Indeed…. But the Chairman isn't one to give it up so easily. That's something you should also know." Ray turned his chair to face his comrade. "He's just like us. The Chairman's goal is one to make the populace live happily, and make sure that war doesn't occur again. Our duty is to create and defend that world. The Destiny was created for that purpose after all, and you were the one who was meant to pilot it."

"Wha? Bu… huh?"

"The Chairman wanted you to pilot it because you wish for that world the most."

"Me?"

Luna rang the doorbell to Shinn's quarters. "Shinn, you in there? Shinn!"

Ray quickly slammed his finger on the comm. link. "We're currently in an important FAITH meeting. Leave us until later!"

"Ah? Ray! What the hell are you doing?" Shinn snapped at him. Luna gasped on the other side of the door.

The blonde ignored the question and got even more serious. "It's exactly as you say though, things are going to get hectic here on in."

"Ray…"

"Whenever a change is introduced in any time, opposition arises. If the change isn't advantageous for them, or maybe they don't even have a real reason, worried people will appear to oppose it. It's true what Gichou says; we have no way of knowing what our future holds."

"Unh…."

"But mankind has to change. Otherwise, no one will be saved." Ray's voice turned raspy. When he realized it he looked down at his hand which was resisting the urge to tremble.

"Well, you know I get that, but…!"

"Just like the Extended girl…." Ray threw out the one piece of bait Shinn would fall for the most, and the target took a deep breath. "We need to keep something like that from happening ever again. This must be done!" His fist clenched as it began to shudder. "You have to be strong, Shinn!"

"Eh?"

"You're the one that must protect the world that the Chairman will create." He got up on unsteady legs, stumbling towards his bed.

"Ray?"

"It's the final choice to keep the world from falling into confusion again." The blonde pinched the bridge of his nose.

"What's the matter with you Ray?"

"It doesn't matter! Ignore me!" The suffering child snapped. His hand shot out to his wall cabinet and pulled out a container filled with blue and white pills. He downed three of them without water quickly before he spread out and passed out on his bed.

"SHINN!" Stellar squeaked as the metallic ropes tightened their grip on his shoulders and neck.

"Ste…llar…. Help… me…." He forced out before he fainted.

"Shinn!" She ran towards him, ready to pounce on the strange cables. When she got close, they began to pull the unconscious boy away, forcing her to double her speed. "Shinn! Shinn!" As the rounded a dune, Impulse came into view, and the cables slammed him into the cockpit. "That thing…!" The eyes flashed a heinous shade of red and it took off straight up, the engine shockwave blowing her to the ground. "Shiiiiiiiinnnn!" The mobile suit disappeared from view, and she collapsed to the sand, sobbing. "Give him back. GIVE HIM BACK!"

"Do you want to save him?" A woman with long blonde hair appeared behind her.

Stellar turned around and hopped backwards a step. As she got the first good look at the woman, a sign of acknowledgement passed across her features. "Mother?"

"You remember me, I'm touched."

"Mother!" She went to the woman and tugged on her lab coat. "Where's Shinn? Give back Shinn!"

"Do you want to save him that badly?"

"Unh!"

"That mobile suit is dragging him into space. If you want to save him, you'll have to go after it and fight."

"Stellar must… go to space? To fight?"

"That's right."

"But, Stellar has nothing to…."

White Angel tapped the girl's nose. "Now, now. Would I really be your mother if I hadn't prepared something for you to use?"

"So… what are we going to do about this, Captain?" Arthur finally spoke up.

"Why are you asking me? You think I have any idea?" She shot back. "War is only a piece of politics. Just because you're in it doesn't mean you understand the whole thing. We'll have to keep an eye on the reactions of the crew and decide what to do after that. Everyone is probably feeling just the same as you are, Arthur."

"Hai!" He saluted back, his question satisfied enough.

Two black Longhorn Daggers floated above the moon's surface on their patrol around the communications satellite. Their existence was supposed to be unknown, as patrol movements would seem suspicious to the ZAFT forces. "This is Dark G1 calling Dark G2. You read?"

"This is Dark G2, I read loud and clear."

"I've got nothing on my scope here, you?"

"Same. No one comes up in polar orbit. Why'd we get stuck doing some lame shift like this?"

"We're still on duty you know, might want to refrain from personal comments."

"I know, I know, sorry. Hey how's your wife doing, she had her baby yet?"

"Honestly I don't know. For a communications station, the mail here is pretty sl…" A blip appeared on the screen. "Woah, heads up, we've got company!"

"Huh? Ok, now I'm getting it too. Matching radar shadow… what the hell? It's a METEOR!"

"A METEOR? That's a ZAFT weapon. Switch to radio relay mode, we'll throw our voices back from the station as we close in on him."

"Understood." The two Daggers tapped their maneuvering thrusters just enough to push them slowly forward.

"Attention unidentified mobile suit. This is the EAF polar communications outpost. Please stop your vessel and submit your IFF code immediately." A neutral code appeared on the readout within a few seconds. "Unidentified mobile suit, your IFF signal identifies you as neutral, yet you are confirmed riding a ZAFT weapons platform. Please open a channel, identify yourself, and explain your business in this sector."

A cut-and-shut mobile suit with a BaCOE head came into visual range as the Daggers came in close. "This is Alan Swaine of the Junk Guild. Please hold your fire, I intend no harm to your station." A familiar voice answered as the mobile suit slowed to a stop. "Recently a collision with an asteroid knocked a piece of wreckage that the Junk Guild has claimed into your sector. I am here to retrieve it. Please allow me passage through this region of space."

A laser transmission reached the two Daggers from the station. STALL HIM. Dark G1 answered Alan. "Mister Swaine, that's quite a request. What's your reason for riding a METEOR?"

"I need its extra thrust to tow the wreckage. If you scan it, you will see that all weapons systems on it have been deactivated."

The patrol captain did so, but in doing so, gave away his position to Alan. "We've confirmed that, Mr. Swaine." Another laser transmission. GET RID OF HIM, NOW. "Um, I'm sorry Mr. Swaine, I can't grant your request. We are at a time of high alert, and a civilian like yourself cannot be allowed in the space around a military installation."

"Excuse me? Station command, my credentials show a perfect record of cooperation with the EAF. I will transmit them over to…"

"Your credentials mean nothing in this situation. Save yourself the trouble and go home."

"I cannot do that! That wreckage has been officially claimed by the Junk Guild, and I possess every right to retrieve it."

The two Daggers locked onto him. "Sir, we have our weapons locked onto your vessel, if you attempt to venture any closer, it will be considered an act of aggression, and you will be destroyed."

"I have rights, damn it!"

"They've just been revoked!"

The three men floated in a standoff for a few moments, before Sheridan spoke again. "All right. All right, I get it." He sighed. "Look, I don't want any trouble with you guys, especially those two Daggers you have breathing down my neck."

Dark G2 gasped. "How did he…."

"I'm an honest man, and I make an honest living. Is it possible that I could at the very least take some tracking readings of the wreckage as it moves? I'll swing around and pick it up once it leaves your sector. Would that be sufficient?"

"How far would you need to be from it for you to take your readings?"

"4000 clicks."

"One moment please." The G1 commander waited for the text burst. PRIMARY ORDER: ESCORT THROUGH READINGS. CODE 4 ORDERS: ELIMINATE. "Mr. Swaine, we have debated your request and have agreed to your terms. However the two Daggers you have somehow been able to identify will be your escorts for your term in this sector. Please do your scans quickly and leave."

"Understood, thank you Station Control." Alan punched a few keys with one hand. "Attention Dagger pilots. I'm sending you my flight plan data. Take good care of me now, okay?" He turned on his engines to low and started on his sensor sweep.

Cagalli sighed at the report handed to her. "So only the Scandinavian Kingdom and ourselves oppose the plan openly?"

"Hai." One of the new Emirs answered her. "All the other countries are batting the idea back and forth, deciding what their response should be."

Another entered the conversation. "Since the Logos witch hunt, most major governments have fallen apart."

"I have a feeling that's just what he intended." The ORB princess continued. "But letting him have the world as his play toy won't do anymore. I believe King Uzumi once said, 'an invasion into the minds of the people' when he responded to the Alliance invasion two years ago. Even so this is worse! ORBs ideals will be defended with my hands! For us, that will protect everything."

"Hai."

Stellar zipped up her flight suit as White Angel held her helmet. "Now put on your helmet, dear." She handed the article to her.

The girl clicked it on and the visor shut automatically. "Uhh!" She gasped as she spread her arms wide.

Outside in the real world, all the computer screens came to life in the station came to life, moving of their own accord. "Colonel, something's happening out here! We've got responses coming in from all systems! All the computers are working simultaneously!"

Angel smiled at the report in both worlds. "You feel that, right Stellar? This suit is different from your others. How do you feel?"

"Stellar feels strange. Stellar can touch… but it's far… not there… but Stellar still touches…."

"That's right. You can touch every single thing in the world now, grasp it, bring it to you. Tell me, can you pull your new weapon's cockpit to us? Find it and bring it here."

"Unh." Stellar nodded and closed her eyes. Her arms reached out, and the world warped under their feet until it transformed into a platform with an open cockpit hatch in front of it.

"Beautiful! Such talent from my daughter!"

The Eternal activated a direct uplink to the Archangel. Waltfeld spoke to the crew. "As we foresaw, the world doesn't want to answer just yet."

"But it's a bit more than we thought, right?" Ramius answered him.

"That's probably because they don't really understand the consequences." Neo muttered. "I can understand why they're having a hard time figuring out if they should just skip over race and nationality and jump into genomes."

"Also, the Chairman is still withholding just how he's going to enforce this new world order." Adam paced with his hands behind him. "Doesn't anyone notice that other than us?"

"It's exactly what he wants. Everything sounds perfect, well thought out, a pure solution to a lifelong problem." The captain sighed. "No more confusion, no more war. A possibility of becoming happy."

"Add to that the fact that the Chairman is trusted extremely heavily." Kira put his two cents in.

"But it won't just end when everyone submits to it." Athrun looked at the bulkheads.

"Unh…" Everyone agreed.

"He said he was going to put it into action, but he never said how, so we should expect the worst." Waltfeld spoke up.

"Unh." Meyrin nodded.

Athrun turned to Milly. "How's ORB faring?"

"They've gone into full defensive mode. There's no doubt they'll reject the plan."

"That's good at least."

"Things will turn for the worse if PLANT tries to force conformation. At that point we'll have no choice but to fight."

"This really is the final decision, isn't it?" Meyrin asked solemnly.

"Ah. Avoiding the issue won't work. It's either yes or no, and the deck is stacked against no." Lacus answered her in a whisper. The conversation ended, as did Waltfeld's uplink.

Shinn held Ray's box of pills and stared between him and them. Ray stirred in his sleep. "Is this why you were so closed off, Ray?" He put the pills back and shut the cabinet. "What else don't I know about you?"

"'No choice but to fight' eh?" Kira stared forward, speaking flatly, after the viewscreen went dark.

"Kira?" Athrun was the first to probe him.

"Uh? Oh, I was just thinking that's probably what they're thinking too, that there's no other option left. As things are, fighting is the only option, and it's inevitable to do so. The Plan is disgusting, but ending it all with a battle is something I don't want either."

"Ah…."

"Even so…" Lacus finally added her point to the conversation. "That doesn't change the fact that we will be required to fight."

"Lux…" Kira answered her.

Adam sat down on the ladder to the CIC pit and leaned his elbows against his knees. "I don't think that's the end of the problem either."

"Eh? Adam, what are you talking about?" Meyrin put her hand on his shoulder.

"Even if we fight and win, will the world be able to accept it? If we're victorious, will the world swing over to our side just like that? The victor isn't labeled just if everyone is against them. They may end up hating us, hating ORB. A war against a hardened heart… can't be won."

"Adam-kun…." Captain Ramius stared at him.

"You may be right Adam, a hardened heart can't be won over," Lacus approached him and went down to look into his eyes. "But we as a race will never be truly hardened because of one thing."

"And what's that?"

"It's because we dream, we wish for a future. Such is the strength to live given to all living things. Even if you gain perfection, and your future was sealed to fate, then our existence would be doomed, because our dreams are who we are. Once we make people see that, then they will open to us once again."

"Lacus-san… you…."

The former pop star stood up. "Every life exists to obtain its future. It is ok to fight for it. It's ok to fight for life, to reach for a dream. That is why we must go into battle, for the sake of all who live, and for ourselves as well. We must defend our dreams from those who would take them. The Chairman's world points to the death of humanity, and we will show humanity that this is true."

"Unh." The pilots nodded.

"Now Stellar, get into the cockpit." White Angel calmly ordered the girl, and she obeyed.

Stellar sat in the chair and her controls slid into place around her. When she looked up, White Angel was gone. "Mother? Mother, where are you?"

A video monitor popped up. "I'm right here, Stellar." Angel was out in the real world looking into a video camera. "I'm in the control room."

"This machine… somehow… different. Stellar doesn't know how to make it move."

"You'll be fine Stellar, just think for a bit. Search your memory, you'll know how to work it."

Stellar closed her eyes momentarily and then they snapped open again. "Stellar knows! Somehow… I know!"

"Good Stellar, now activate the unit. We'll guide your launch from here."

"Unh." The cockpit shut and she flipped a few switches, extending her hands to touch keys farther away than her arms could reach.

A techie pulled up a monitor as two massive yellow eyes flashed into being. The entire room began to shake. "Ma'am. I think it's safe to say we have movement."

"Indeed we do. Everyone hold on to something, this is going to be fun! Ooh, I'm so excited I don't even need to kill anyone!"

"Station One will soon be in position." The renamed tunnel colony hovered over Requiem.

"Requiem control systems are functioning normally."

"Start the charging sequence." Dullindal ordered from Messiah. "Whatever the case, it'll need to be fired once to test it."

"Sir!" The man saluted before his screen turned off.

"But what will be the target, sir?" One of his men asked, curiously.

"Hmm. How are things looking with the other nations? Anything new?" He spoke to one of his aides.

"Nothing, I'm afraid. The only clear dissent is from ORB and the Kingdom of Scandinavia."

Dullindal pulled up the ORB broadcast onto his screen, where Cagalli spoke loudly to her people. "Thus, the nation of ORB opposes Chairman Dullindal's plan without waver!"

"It also appears as though to respond to this, there have been some suspicious movements at the Arzachel base. We've detected some launches periodically."

Dullindal pulled up the President's address, but put it on mute. "Hey now, hey now…." He chuckled at the man's reaction.

"Also of note is that the President of the Atlantic Federation has asked for an audience with you, Chairman."

"That so? I see now. Copeland is in a bind. He has to lead a nation even though he can't work as hard as the Princess. Logos isn't around to guide him anymore so he's chosen to act on both sides."

"So what is your reply to his request, sir?"

"Let him eat static for now. He won't move fully until we've met, so delay him as much as possible."

"Yes sir."

"That being said, I think the target is clear. We'll destroy ORB. Begin preparations."

"Understood." His aide saluted. "But that's a very bold move. It could trigger a reaction from Copeland."

"Our military should be able to handle it. Order the Gondwana and Minerva into position to defend with the rest of our forces."

"Yes sir."

"It's time I enforced what I said. This is the final defense, and mankind's fate is on the line. Oppose it, and you become mankind's enemy!"

Alan's screens suddenly lit up like a Christmas tree. "What the hell?" He started looking back and forth between his readouts. "Engine noise detected? Woah, what's all this mass movement? I've never seen an energy reading that big before! This is impossible!"

The two black Daggers nodded to each other and slowly pulled out their deactivated beam sabers.

Abby buzzed Talia in her quarters. "Captain."

"Yes?"

"We're receiving orders from HQ. The Alliance forces are starting to move at Arzachel."

"Eh?"

"The lunar defense fleet, as well as Minerva, should rendezvous at point 4286."

"Understood, I'm heading up there now."

A massive object began to rise out of the moon's crust. The dark purple UFO disk shook as the gray dust of the moon's surface began to roll off. Even when it seemed like the monstrous plate was finally free, it just continued to rise, unearthing more and more of its second layer.

As Alan gaped in awe at what was happening below him, the two Daggers activated their beam sabers.

Once the edge was finally free from the disk below, a burst of energy and engine power sent a shockwave rising up through space, blowing all three of the mobile suits head over heels. As he flipped over, Sherridan took note of the beam sabers in the men's hands. "Shit!" He kicked off from his ride and pulled out his heat shotel and gattling gun. "So this is what you were hiding? Is that some kind of weapon?" He put his engines to full throttle. "You bastards never learn!"

The Daggers' alarms went off the instant he charged. G1 hit his thrusters and rose away from him. G2 wasn't so fortunate, and Alan went on the attack, slicing him through the middle with his shotel. "Jerid!" The pilot of G1 cried. "Damn you!" He fired his overhead cannons upon the mobile suit below.

"I won't let you!" ShEZAMS flipped over and blocked with the shield and cartridge for the cannon. He raised the minigun above and fired. The Dagger blocked with its shield as they circled each other, closing in for close combat. Shotel met saber as they clashed in midair. "Is that it? Is that your Song of Silence?"

"Silence? This is our Hallelujah Chorus! This will be the glorious end to the war, Djibril's gift to us all!"

"You fool! Don't you remember what happened with GENESIS? With the nuclear bombings? You'll wipe the entire human race off the galactic map!"

"You're wrong! We'll wipe the Coordinators off the map!"

"Then I have no other choice…." Alan swung his mobile suit's leg up and made contact between the legs of the Dagger, while turning on the BaCOE beam sabers. The extra force drove the mobile suit straight into the beam's path, taking out the main camera. The time between switching over to the backup cameras was all Alan needed, he pushed off and whirled his shotel into the target.

"GYAAAAHHH!" The man was seared as the attack bit into the cockpit.

"Forgive me." He withdrew his weapon and put it back in place. After docking with the METEOR again, he targeted the machine below him.

During the fight, more of the massive creature extended from the pit, a dark purple body, covered in blackness by the shadow of the saucer above it. Two long, claw-like legs that could dig up small craters, all of it hovered over the surface of the moon, until it landed in a cloud of heavy dust.

Stellar turned on her viewscreen to see the world around her. "Mother! Stellar is in space again!"

"That's right darling, we're back in space. We won't be defeated here, and we can get back your precious Shinn too." White Angel smiled in her extensive excitement. "Now Stellar, I'm sending you some data." A small screen hovered in front of the blonde girl, outlining coordinates to PLANT colony Aprillius. "We've tracked down that mobile suit that took that boy. It's heading here."

"There? Then… where's Shinn?"

"That doesn't matter right now, Stellar. The point is, if you destroy where it's going to go, then the mobile suit will have to figure out where to go next, and give us more time to rescue him. Understand?"

"Unh."

"You have all the equipment you need to attack. Just reach out and touch it."

Alarms beeped around the woman. "Colonel! That Junk Guild mobile suit is still out there and scanning us!"

"Tch. Damn weakling pilots. Stellar, while you're powering up to attack the target, take out the mobile suit that's buzzing around! He's trying to stop you from getting Shinn back!"

"Stop Stellar?" The girl thought as she pulled up a view of ShEZAMS. "Unforgiveable!"

Alan's jaw dropped at the sight as the giant landed on the moon's surface. He quickly took a scan of its statistics. "Ten times the size of a normal mobile suit…. Over 20 multiphasic beam cannons on the saucer rim? Phase Shift armor? Six LOHENGRINS? That's no mobile armor, it's a federation monster! And this radar shadow, on a smaller scale it would look just like Destroy in its mobile armor state!" The gigantic weapon kneeled forward tilting the saucer, and at the center of it, a cap began to unscrew. "A new energy reading? Wait, I know that signature…." He paled when he realized what it was. "Requiem!"

His resolve was strengthened and he drove his mobile suit closer to the intimidating giant. Partially hidden in alcoves under the saucer, two objects dropped down and flew off. Alan pulled up the hovering objects on screen. They looked like two large white squids that were closed up. The mobile suit found a match in its data bank. "Now I see. It's all coming together. That extra package the kid saw when that EAF battleship took off went to here."

Ray, now finally awake, was sitting limply in his chair, while Shinn paced pissed. "Just like we thought. The Alliance is going to pick a fight!"

"Ah. That's what it looks like." After Ray spoke there was a long pause. He looked Shinn's way, who quickly broke his gaze. "I apologize for that incident earlier. It wasn't anything you needed to worry about. I scared you with that. I was in the wrong."

"Uh?"

"I suppose you could call it a chronic illness. Don't worry, it's not contagious."

"No… well… I mean…."

Ray had enough of the conversation, and changed it quickly. "You should concentrate on remembering what I said earlier. No matter what happens, no matter who says what, trust in Gichou."

"Hwa?"

"The world is about to change, because we're the ones to change it. But in times like this, there will be moments that you'll have to choose differently then you have in past events. At times you'll want to run away when you're confused, but… trust the Chairman and you'll be fine."

"Ray…" Shinn was sort of stunned by the comments, and the knowledge his counterpart held. The mentioned teen just smiled.

"After all, he is right."

"Yeah, well…" Shinn stood up. "What's up with you saying all this stuff all of a sudden? You sound like an old geezer in some bad J-Drama. Cut it out, it's creepy."

"Heh. Let's just say that I don't have much of a future left. My telomeres… were naturally short. After all… I am a clone."

"HUH?"

Alan stared down the monster he hovered next to, his mobile suit completely dwarfed by this newest version of Destroy. "I've got to act fast. If that energy buildup is a Requiem, then everyone is in mortal danger." ShEZAMS pulled out and locked together the electromagnetic cannon that the Lightning Striker came equipped with and gunned the engines. After lining up a shot into the Requiem barrel, he fired as he made a pass.

"Puny…" Stellar whispered to herself as the two squid-like protrusions exploded into three parts and spread into a circular formation. Each piece stretched wide into three panels, space rippling around them. The energy broke into pieces and curved out and away from the demon.

"What?" Alan flipped around quickly and fired another shot, it was also blocked by the six spinning pods. The next move was Stellar's. Three of the mobile deflectors moved to the edge of the saucer section and the pink and blue energy cannons loosed their energy directly into them. The power curved into a trajectory charted directly into ShEZAMS. "Gah!" Meteor's engines gave him enough boost to roll and escape the blast. The other three deflectors shot behind him, intercepting the beams, and redirecting them once again. ShEZAMS rolled under the rebound, but not before getting his leg clipped by the intense heat. Alan panted heavily. "G…Geschmeidig Panzers… Forbidden's shield…." He backed off slightly. "This one's power is enormous. Mobile Panzer pods, all being controlled at once in synch, able to absorb and reflect that much power… it's practically impossible! No human could control something like this, Natural or Coordinator!"

White Angel laughed as she sat back in her chair. "Looks like our little fly is having trouble getting through a closed window. Now we just have to clip his wings down to the root."

The lunar fleet gathered together and prepared for battle with the Arzachel forces, while unbeknownst to all, the shield on the Requiem barrel disappeared from view. Dullindal nodded to his commander and he gave a visual signal. "Forgive me, Princess. I wish I didn't have to take the life of one so young." Requiem's particle generator started up. "Fire when ready."

Alan dodged another two volleys from the fortress as he peppered a Panzer pod with his minigun. The bullets just bounced off, the armor too thick to penetrate. "This is bad, very bad! If I don't stop that Requiem from firing, it's game over! With all this dodging I have to do, I can't even start up my main weapon." The red-head's face brightened after a start. "Wait a minute… main weapon… where's the closest Requiem barrel colony?" Alan typed into his keyboard.

"Requiem is at 90 percent charge, ma'am." One of the techs on board saluted White Angel.

"Right…." She turned to her monitors. "Stellar, sweetie, we're almost ready. Get into the final position and we can save your Shinn."

"Unh! Shinn…."

"It's too far away for it to be reached from here alone. So the Panzer pods must be needed to do the initial redirection!" The pods collected around the Requiem hole and began to orbit an unseen force as Alan furrowed his brow. "I've only got one shot at this!" He unhooked from METEOR and pulled out his Striker's cannon. While doing so the left side of METEOR slid backwards and to the right, so that the engines were overlapping each other. A hatch slid open on the side of the right-hand weapon, and the left-hand side slid forward, letting the engines connect and the muzzle of the cannon entering the hatch. The engines started spinning up as Alan went underneath the weapon and thrust forward.

"Commence firing sequence!"

"Charge at 90 percent and climbing. Critical mass in 30 seconds."

"Perhaps we can end it all with this one shot."

"20…19…18…17…." As the countdown decreased, White Angel's giddiness increased.

"Shinn…."

"This is gonna be close!" Alan flew at top speed towards the group of Panzer pods. He let fly the Striker's cannon, the overload timer just reaching zero as it hit the center of the group. It detonated, sending an EM pulse through the panzers, disabling the remote controls.

"15…14…13…"

"Commander! Stations Two and Three are beginning to move, something's taken over their guidance controls!"

"What? How is that possible? Regain control or we'll lose the targeting point!"

"I can't! We're locked out!"

ShEZAMS swung its massive weapon around and pointed it straight down Requiem's throat. The EAF's weapon glowed in preparation to fire. "P-METEOR Cannon! HASHA!" A gigantic burst of energy passed through the barrels of the weapons platform, sending a beam spiraling down into Requiem. Anyone watching the attack would not have been able to agree upon what color the beam was, the speed of the bolt actually managed to create a doplar shift, sending the colors to new dimensions of vividity.

"Abort! Cancel the firing sequence!"

"We can't! There'll be no place for the energy to go!" The beam lanced into space.

Dullindal stood up, wide eyed. "The target! Where's that beam headed?"

"A high energy object just formed on the opposite side of the Moon!" Burt reported to Gladys.

"Eh?"

"From Daedelus? This signature… it's Requiem!"

"Say that again?"

"That can't be!" Arthur jumped in.

"Yzak! What are they…?" Dearka heard the news same as his friend.

"The target! What's the target? Can you tell?" Talia demanded of Burt.

"I can't. It appears as though they're in motion, but possibly 4."

"Then it's heading to Earth?" Arthur spoke more than asked.

"Now it's deflected to 11!"

"It's going to hit Arzachel!" Talia denounced.

"EH? You mean our troops fired that shot?" The XO took a step back.

"Of course it is! We didn't leave any Alliance troops back there."

The beam took its last curve and rained down upon the launching fleet of EAF ships. They never stood a chance under the extreme power that disintegrated them as it cut its way through space towards the moon. The attack cut a swath in the ground, sweeping up the entire colony, catching Copeland in the explosion.

"Arzachel… destroyed… sir." Dullindal's aide reported what was on screen.

The man was wide eyed and his hand began to tremble as he pulled it into a fist. "What the hell was that? Find the source of that takeover and dispatch as many forces as you need to destroy it! Hurry!" He sat down and pounded his fist into the arm of the chair. "Damn it! There's no way ORB won't act because of this! Have all ships prepare for full battle status! Instead of killing the beast we killed the bird feeding off of it."

Luna slammed her finger onto Shinn's doorbell and spoke in an irritated and sarcastically respectable tone. "Excuse me gentlemen, may I be allowed to enter now?"

The door slid open and Shinn stepped out. "Luna… sorry about that." Ray just stared at the two as the door shut, as the girl debated whether or not to berate her boyfriend. Instead she just started walking, with Shinn in parallel. "I know it can't really be helped because of your FAITH status, but he was extremely rude all of a sudden!"

"Unh… I'm really sorry about that. He was occupied by a lot of stuff. We were discussing the Destiny Plan."

"That's why I came over in the first place. I wanted your input on it."

"Yeah, well, he was apparently a bit sick too and…."

"Shinn!" Vino ran out of the rec room at full speed. He caught his breath when he met them. "Arzachel's just been trashed!"

"Eh?" Both pilots said at once.

"It was Requiem that did it!"

"Wha? You gotta be kidding!" Shinn's jaw dropped.

"Why? Who would do that?" Luna pitched in with her surpise.

"Apparently there was some resistance movement in the base." Ray had walked up behind them, unheard. "The Roland team we sent down there finished them off."

"Resistance?" Vino scratched his head.

"Wait, you mean our military fixed that weapon?" Luna was as confused as the others.

Ray ignored her probing question and turned to his fellow FAITH member. "I said it before, Shinn. Even though it's a good cause, things will not go smooth for us." Then he addressed all three. "I'm sure you know what will be coming next. Archangel!" Luna gasped and Shinn flinched realizing he was right. "We have no choice this time. That ship must be destroyed permanently! Shinn, defend the world you've wanted all this time!"

"Murrue-san!" Kira and Athrun rushed into the bridge.

"Kira-kun!" The captain turned to him as they saw the view on the screen.

"Hey what's the commotion all about?" Adam and Meyrin entered from the next lift. "We were having a nice lunch when…."

"Agh!" Meyrin gasped as she saw the screen, and the giant ball of smoke emerging from Arzachel.

"Is that Requiem's work?" Athrun clenched his fist.

"I thought they destroyed it." Neo crossed his arms. "Shit, we've been had."

"Because of this, less than 10 percent of the Alliance fleet still remains." Ramius bit her lip.

"The destructive capability of that thing is almost as big as Genesis, but with a wider range. With those relay points, they can send the beam anywhere they want, including the Earth." Athrun hissed.

Lacus looked up after a long time in thought. "Captain, open a channel to ORB. We'll rendezvous with the Eternal. Please begin all launch preparations."

"Eh." She nodded.

"Lacus, are you sure?" Kira took a step forward.

"This is our only chance. The Chairman has shown the world that there is death for those who don't obey. As things stay, the world will end. We will attempt to gather as much support as possible now, while the impact is still fresh. Hiding is no longer an option."

"Ah, I know." Kira sighed, before he straightened. "Then in that case, we'll get the battle arrangements in now. Lacus, Athrun, and I will board the Eternal along with the DOM Troopers. She'll be our flagship and center of command. The Murasame squadron will be transferred to the Kusanagi, along with Amagi and Soga. The rest of you remain on the Archangel."

"Um…" Meyrin put her hand to her chest. "I wish to be transferred to the Eternal. Though I love this ship and its crew, I feel I would be able to do more there than here."

"Meyrin…." Adam paused.

"Understood." Lacus nodded. "The Eternal is a little shorthanded at the moment anyway."

"We'll relay that to the others straight away and then launch." Kira nodded. "Adam, meet me in the hangar later, and we'll do a tune up on your unit."

"Understood." Adam saluted.

"Please contact the Minerva." Dullindal ordered. "I want them to send Ray za Burrel and Shinn Asuka to Messiah. And make sure they bring their units as well."

"The engines are idling normally." Neumann said from his station. "Both the Condiuit and FCS are coming online. Power flow is nominal. Magnetic chamber and pellet dispenser are all within normal parameters. Shock damper now holding at 20 percent output. I've got main engine contact. Systems are all green. Archangel, all systems online. Launch checklist complete."

The Eternal unlocked from its moorings and went underway as well. Waltfeld broadcast a message. "The true star is arriving. Location code: Fragile. I repeat. The true star is arriving." Out of hiding in between asteroids, multiple loyal ZAFT ships joined Eternal in formation. Some EAF cruisers also fell into line on the starboard side.

Izumo-class ships rose from the moon colony, soon joined by ORB's flagship Kusanagi. "Archangel, hashin!" Ramius gave the final order, and the legged ship lifted off, emerging from the hatch to join its ORB compatriots.

The fused parts of Sheridan's METEOR sparked and crackled. "Well, that experiment was a fire and forget weapon." He sighed.

White Angel pushed herself up onto her console, blood dripping down the side of her face. "Whoever is still alive, report!"

One man groaned as he lifted his head from his station. "R…Requiem has been completely obliterated. What was that weapon?"

"Mother? Mother?" Stellar's audio called.

White Angel picked up an earpiece. "Stellar? Stellar I'm still here."

"Mother, where are you? Can you hear Stellar?"

"Damn it!" The blonde tossed the headset away.

"No, mother too? Mother did you… die?" Stellar shrieked at the word.

"Shit!" White Angel hissed, knowing it was too late.

"NOOOOOOO!" Stellar's head reared back as she screamed. Destroy MK II came alive again, standing up straight and tall, the Panzer pods re-established their link to her, and went wild. All of her beam cannons fired at once, sending red and blue attacks every which way.

"It's still operational after all that?" Alan pulled out his shotel. "Then I'll have to send you to hell, demon, from the inside!" ShEZAMS' engines went to full burn as he ducked under the saucer section.

Chapter 36 Preview: Fight for your dream. Defend for your future. If this is so, then what happens when the fighting is endless? As Sheridan plunges into the unknown, his backup arrives, but is it too late? Next time on Old Friends Anew: Ray and Fllay. Bring the true path to light, Justice!


	36. Old Friends Anew Ch 36

Old Friends Anew 36

Phase-36: Ray and Fllay

The tension had hit its critical point as Athrun and the others gathered in conference after shuffling to their respective ships. "As we thought, the first station is critical for the firing of Requiem. If it isn't taken out first, we won't have any clue where they'll strike next, or when."

"That's not quite true, Daicho." Adam spoke from his position on the Archangel bridge. "I think we all know where that beam is going to be heading."

"Orb." Lacus furrowed her brow.

"Unh." Kira agreed.

Neo crossed his arms and summarized the strategy. "The two fastest ships, meaning Archangel and Eternal, will go and destroy the first relay point, and the main Orb fleet will attack Requiem proper. Include in that the fact that the ZAFT Lunar fleet is nearby… yadday yadday. That'll be a mess."

"But we can't lose them now, Orb I mean." Murrue looked at him with a grave face.

"Speed will determine the victor in this battle. We will destroy the relay station before we're completely overrun by the enemy. The attack force will consist of Freedom, Justice, and Eagle. The DOMs, Murasame, and Akatsuki will assist with defense." Lacus stated with a hardened tone. "Let us all return from this battle."

"Ah, for sure." Murrue responded with a nod.

"Daicho!" Adam spoke up. "Milly, can I borrow your earpiece?"

"Um… sure…." The brunette shrugged as she handed it over. Meyrin did the same for Athrun, aboard the Eternal.

"What's up?" Athrun spoke into it quietly.

"Athrun, you have Destiny's communications frequency, right? I want you to give it to me."

"Adam… I… I don't think that's such a good idea. Do you really think you can turn him?"

"No, he's obviously too far gone for that, but if I can just get him to stop fighting, that will be enough. Daicho, this is important to me."

"Adam, we're going into the middle of hell out there. He'll be trying to kill you, you know that! Talk is cheap in a life and death struggle, and could cause a major…."

"Athrun…" Lacus silenced him curtly. "Give him the codes." She had guessed earlier from his end of the conversation.

"But…."

"I too agree with you, Athrun, but Adam has a dear friend on that side who he wishes to save. Didn't you also have such a person once?"

"Ah…."

"Look at what Adam has done in the past. I believe he is wise enough to know when to speak, and when to fight, but he has learned that talk is far from cheap. He has taught me that as well. Please, give him the codes."

"Hai."

Adam let a small smile touch his lips. "Thank you, both of you."

A gray GINN with gold highlights hid behind a small asteroid, watching as the beams sprayed from Destroy MKII totaled the moonscape. "Tch. This thing is a demon. I've got to get as much data as I can." Suddenly his collision sensors went off behind him. "What?" He yelled as he turned around. A long beam-rifle barrel hit him in the chest. It was attached to a small, white, spherical object with two extendable grappling arms. There were no power readings coming from it. "What is this thing? Some kind of old mobile armor?" Suddenly a light came on in the window in the center of the sphere, and the rifle discharged at point blank range. "GAHHH!" He cried in his last breath.

Shinn and Ray launched from the Minerva, their mobile suits' engines flashing in the darkness of space. Though Ray had his usual stoic look on his face, Shinn was nervous and confused. A battle was about to start, and yet he was being summoned to the fortress Messiah by the Supreme Chairman himself. Why?

"Gichou, Archangel and Eternal are approaching Station One." One of the generals spoke.

"Reports are coming in about a fleet of Nazca-, Laurasia-, and Earth Alliance class ships centering around ORB vessels vectoring in on Daedalus."

"I know. Have Minerva, Gondwana and half of the Lunar Fleet sent to Station One. The rest should help Roland at Daedalus." Dullindal stared at his chess board.

"Yes, sir!"

"What's the conditions at Station Two?"

"Two ships have just entered sensor range. Identification has not been made as of yet."

"Gichou!" A communications officer yelled. "I'm pulling something up on screen three. You have to see this for yourself!" The smoking form of Destroy MKII coming to life again sending powerful beams throughout the vacuum was displayed, getting gasps from everyone.

Dullindal stood up. "What the hell is that?"

"We tracked the source of the remote hacking to this location. This is what our Reconnaissance GINN sent back. Sir, that's a ten to one scale."

"Ten to one? This must be Djibril's Legacy. Obliterate it, quickly. Send up to a half of the Lunar fleet at Requiem to finish it off, and tell them to go full burn, we can't chance it taking over again."

"But sir, that would reduce our defenses around Requiem significantly."

"Don't worry, we have something to take care of that." He smiled as he sat back down. 'The problem isn't numbers or firepower. The problem is…'

"This is the Eternal, Lacus Clyne commanding."

'…her.'

Sheridan took a dive the moment the Destroy fired its cannons along its UFO ring. The Panzer pods slid into place deflecting them into different and near impossible angles. "Kuso!" His entire cockpit shook as he barrel rolled in his dive. One of the powerful beams cut a swath along ShEZAMS leg.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Stellar screamed. "YOU DESTROYED MOTHER!"

Curving under the saucer proved to be a bad choice for Sheridan, getting caught directly under some engine backwash, forcing him lower. "Damn that's strong!" He rolled out from under the pressure and then saw something. A small opening in the torso of the mobile armor was revealed from his verniers' light, originally covered in shadow by the massive umbrella above. "Is that a hangar?"

"Begin condition red alert." A ZAFT ship commander ordered. "Have all defensive squads launch immediately." ZAKUs of all types, from Gunner Warrior to Slash Phantom were catapulted from the defense line ships.

"Lacus, I'm launching. That's fine, right?" Kira leaned forward.

"Hai."

"Athrun!"

"Ah, let's go. Adam?"

"I heard you."

The Eternal's runway hatch opened up as Waltfeld barked orders. "Prep the METEORs. All hands, begin level one battle status! I repeat…." The boosters in Strike Freedom's legs opened and started to increase their power level.

Archangel's portside catapult opened up, giving Eagle a view of the stars. "Once Adam-kun launches, we'll take point and cover the Eternal. Gottfried and Valiant, activate. All missile tubes, load Corinthos type."

"Kira Yamato, Freedom, ikkimas!" The golden-jointed suit was thrust forward and it spread its wings out as soon as it was free.

"Athrun Zala, Justice, delu!" The silver-jointed suit coated itself with its dark purple Phase Shifting as the sublight lifter on its back stretched out to its full length.

"Adam Cancho, Eagle, aim for the stars!" The Astray-type mobile suit was shot out of the hold, it spun into flight mode and went to join the other two as its blue and brown color scheme covered its body.

"Meyrin, please open a communications channel, all known frequencies. It's time to put what Adam taught me to use." Lacus looked down to the comm. station.

"Hai."

"METEOR, lift off!" Waltfeld announced in the meantime. The weapons platforms released from their locks on Eternal's bow. Adam sped in front of them and switched back into mobile suit, immediately having his beam rifle at the ready, covering the nuclear-powered suits as they began their docking run.

"This is the Eternal, Lacus Clyne commanding. I am hearby issuing a warning to the relay station and the ZAFT soldiers guarding it. We will hereby begin the elimination of that weapon of mass destruction." As she said this, Justice and Freedom were hooked up by their waists to the weapons platforms. Adam returned to his speedier jet form and entered formation as they gunned the engines.

"Lacus-sama?"

"But… which one is it?"

"Nani?" Three ZAFT pilots began to argue with themselves.

"Such a weapon is a blight on humanity, it is not needed to protect nor to fight a battle. As you sit there in that uniform, if you still retain the pride you had when you first put it on with the goal of peace, then lower your weapons and stay out of our way!"

The two ZAFT FAITH Red Coats stepped onto the bridge of Messiah and went straight to the center seat. Ray saluted instantly. "Gichou."

"Yo, Ray. Shinn too. I'm glad you came."

Alan flipped over and dove for the hangar. Suddenly the positron cannons going down Destroy's chest lit up, and the Panzer pods set up for a deflection attack. "Shit, NO! I'm almost there!"

"GYEEEAAAAHHH!" Stellar screamed, inaudible to the outside world. The intense beams of energy and light lanced out towards the deflection point.

"LOHENGRIN, FIRE!" Two matching red and blue beams appeared from empty space, connecting with the other attack before it could redirect. Both attacks canceled each other out.

"What was that?" Alan was in shock, hovering and watching the light show.

A video window appeared above his head, containing a woman with long red hair. "Sherridan, are you alright?"

"Fllay?"

"Drop Mirage Colloid." She ordered and Archangel's sister ship, the green and grey colored Gabriel, appeared in mid-space. "We've come to help. Where do you need assistance?"

"I'd feel a lot better if you guys retreated. This thing could slice up a battleship in seconds. Cover me as I go in. I'll try to find a way to destroy it from the inside. After that, get out of here, and quick!"

"Fine by us. But be quick about it. One of our mobile armors took out a Reconnaissance GINN. There's no doubt other ZAFT forces are on the way."

"Understood." His transmission cut out.

"Okay, you heard the man." Fllay ordered the bridge crew.

"I want everything we've got targeting the enemy at the furthest points from the hangar. Give it more to shoot at. It can't deflect all our hits." Appolly commanded. "Lohengrin, Valiant, Gottfried, and all Corinthos missiles. Let 'er rip!" The ship discharged all its offensive weaponry.

"That's my cue!" Sherridan dove for the hangar at full speed.

The pods quickly skitted to the four targeted points. Fllay's eyes went wide. "Helldart anti-beam charges, launch a spray, NOW!" No sooner had she said that then the reflectors sent the attack back. The Helldarts exploded just in time, shaking the entire ship as they tried to absorb the attacks.

One stray pod aimed a beam down at ShEZAMS. It caught his right leg and amputated it. "Gah!" Sheridan grunted as he was rattled by the explosion. It also gave him a little extra propulsion boost into the hangar.

"He's in! Break off attack, activate Mirage Colloid, give us some distance!" The XO ordered.

"Helm, set course for Station Three." Fllay yelled over everyone else.

"Eh?" Appolly blinked at her.

"Because of this thing, the Lunar forces will be divided. If we can draw out some more defenders, then the Archangel's forces won't have to handle as many. Set course for Station Three and prepare for all forms of attack!"

The three fast-moving mobile suits shot through the first line of defenders. "Yes!" Adam pumped his fist. The initial shock of Lacus's announcement left them unresponsive. None of the pilots even moved a muscle.

"Tch!" The fleet commander hissed as he picked up a microphone. "What the hell are you doing? They're what's left of Logos! They are those who ignore the Chairman's words, and only want to keep their own riches and privileges! Shoot! Bring them down! For all of ZAFT! That's a direct order!" Though some were reluctant, all pilots obeyed.

"No!" Adam hissed, looking behind him. Nazca class opened fire as fast as possible, sending volleys of beam energy and missiles at the two speedy ships. Archangel returned fire with all its weapons, sending beams, projectiles and large missiles at the enemy. Eternal fired its main cannon and fired countless missiles from its bays. The CWIS on both ships spun up, sending shrapnel into the vicinity.

The three on the blitz team turned around. Kira's METEOR stretched out and fired off all of its weapons, with the core cannon and railguns added to the mix. Athrun's wasn't too far behind, with his shoulder cannons taking the extra. Adam let loose four beams of his own from his weapons. An entire squadron of ZAKUs and GOUFs were destroyed within seconds.

On the Minerva, Abby turned to the Captain. "Orders from HQ. Currently the Station Once defense force is in battle against Archangel and Eternal. The Lunar Fleet and Minerva are to assist immediately."

A Gunner ZAKU fired a shot at Eternal. The pink flagship barreled away as its weapons streaked across the sky. Justice switched to the METEOR's massive beam blades and sliced a ZAKU up as a nearby GOUF rushed to get out of the way. Adam typed away at his computer after shooting down said GOUF.

"A…Archangel?" Arthur twitched at the name.

"Those pricks!" Yzak snarled, getting the same order.

"You know you shouldn't feel bad. They didn't contact us because we're ZAFT, after all." Dearka sighed.

"I know that! We'll launch anyway! Hurry up and get this crate moving!"

"S…Sir!" The XO of his ship said quickly.

"What's up?" Dullindal tilted his head to one side. "You seem a bit out of sorts, Shinn."

"Uh? No, sir."

"With all that's happened, I bet you're all jumbled up inside, aren't you?"

"Yeah…." He looked at the smooth paneling under his feet.

"I'll admit, after what happened at Armory One and the Junius Seven incident, everything has deteriorated to this very moment. I can't blame you for getting confused, but this world filled with fighting and despair will soon change forever."

"Hai." Ray spoke, surprisingly out of turn. Shinn wasn't so convinced.

"I think I worded that wrong though. 'Please change it forever' sounds more accurate. With the powers you possess."

"Hai."

"As we speak, Requiem's Station One is under attack. It's the Archangel and Eternal that are doing so."

"Eh?" Shinn still couldn't get much in the way of coherence out.

"It looks as though they're using my using Requiem to destroy Arzachel as an excuse." He smiled as he took credit for his own military blunder. "It's really a bother, isn't it? Even after all the steps we took to stop the fighting… If things keep going like this, they'll just never end!"

"Hai." Ray spoke quickly. "Even so this is unavoidable. They are incapable of listening to reason. We cannot give into them right now, even if we wanted to. The world would only return to darkness if we did. Even with their sorrows, men will keep fighting, and history will continue to repeat itself. It won't change. If that's so, then behind those people that want that peace and happiness, a new Logos will be born. No one is to blame for that, that's where mankind stands at this point. I cannot stand idly by and let such a world exist again, especially after all we've done."

"Ray…" Shinn stood in awe, amazed by his roommate's resolve.

"The Destiny Plan must be carried out without fail."

"Exactly right." Dullindal smiled. "And what about you, Shinn?"

"Uh?" He was unprepared for the question.

"If I'm right, you feel the same way?"

Alan clipped a two-gun holster on his hips, cocked those pistols, and pulled out a third. He took a deep breath. "Okay… let's go!" He hit the door toggle, and the moment the panel slid open, a peppering of bullets shot in from the corner, shattering one of the readouts. Sherridan slammed his back against the opposite side and slammed his hand on the door switch again. "Damn it!" He turned on his sensors and looked around. On his lefthand side were two EAF military men with machine guns, taking cover and reloading. On his right was the exit to space, so no one would be expected to come from there. In front of him was an open passageway, it would just take a while to float over to it. "Argh! How am I supposed to get there when I'm pinned down like this? DAMN IT!" He pistolwhipped his radar screen in frustration, and the entire cockpit went black. "Huh?"

"This is purple 3. We've got him cornered in his mobile suit. He'll be dead before he can even touch ground." One EAF officer reported on his radio. A large creaking noise emanated from the mobile suit. "What the…?"

BOOM! "GYEEEAAAAHHHH!" Alan was ejected, with a trail of smoke following him. He drifted onto the platform before the soldiers could react, and he whipped out his pistol and fired four shots, taking them both down. "Well what do you know, you're actually useful after all." He pointed to ShEZAMS with his pistol. "Doesn't mean I'm still not pissed at you though!" He fired one shot into the BaCOE's forehead. It didn't do any damage, but at least it made him feel better. He pushed off the platform into the halls.

Athrun took the initiative and drove forward, slicing up the bridge of a Nazca class. "Saberbarrel Program 2, activate!" Adam keyed the enter button. The two lower of his six wings popped off and thrust in front of him. His mobile suit's reflector shield was latched onto by the two of them and the entire structure went forward, becoming a mobile reflector platform. Eagle latched its beam rifle behind its back momentarily as its top wings separated and went to its hands. The nozzle of one was inserted into the back end of the other. The new weapon spawned from Gunbarrel Program 2 was shifted to the right hand while the left pulled out the original beam rifle. He gunned the engines, spreading a plasma illusion of four wings the color of the autumn leaves as he went forward. As he closed in on his target, a Laurasia class, two GOUFs sent whips his way. The low road was taken as he dove under the position and fired both his handheld weapons at the same time, piercing the cockpits. Adam turned Eagle's torso around to face the reflector and fired his core cannon. The mobile reflector tilted to a 45 degree angle and the attack shot straight up through the middle of the battleship. As the reflector combo lost ground, it only increased the damage to the ship as it continued to slice it into ribbons.

ZAKU Phantoms leaned forward, launching volleys of missiles at the Eternal. One Gunner sent a grenade canister at the bridge, but some shrapnel caught it before it hit the ship. It still shook everyone up well. Freedom's METEOR opened all of its missile hatches and unleashed its hellfire while Justice let fly its buster blasts. "From starboard, missiles, four!" Milly yelled.

"Kaihee! Helldart, tei!" Ramius ordered, as the Archangel's anti-missile missile system launched from the "neck" of the ship. More ZAKUs sprayed missiles into the system.

"Lower your weapons and leave us a path!" Lacus continued speaking her demands. "Mankind doesn't exist to fire such a weapon! It shall never do so, ever again! Return to your ships!"

A GuAIZ R stopped, and the commander's GOUF noticed. "Baka! What are you thinking?"

Justice took advantage of the situation and disabled both, taking great strides not to injure the pilot of the halted suit. He next ran into GuAIZ troops, and fired his midoric beams into them, removing heads. One came in from behind him on a turn, and a thick beam rent it through. "Thanks Adam."

"Just returning the favor. Now get to that relay point!"

A stray shot hit a ZAKU Gunner, and it detonated past the Eternal's window, a view Lacus was used to by now, but still hated to see. Kira came down from above, launching missiles into a Nazca's guns. "Eeehhh!" Athrun's attack effectively disabled her engines.

"Hhhaaa!" Adam's core cannon streaked through the sky, piercing three mobile suits before redirecting to slice off a Laurasia's engine. The mobile suits that escaped the blast were caught by his rifle and buster. He and the two other pilots met up above the exploding ships.

"Athrun, Adam!" Kira yelled.

"Ah!" Athrun acknowledged. He knew as well as the others that time was running out.

Adam's sensor alarms went off. "Incoming!" All his programs returned to normal as he pushed his shield forward, the others dodging an attack by eight simultaneous positron cannons. When he finally lowered his shield, he and everyone else gasped. Reinforcements had arrived in force, including… "Minerva?"

"KGH!" Athrun was tempted to spit.

"I…" Shinn was still struggling for an answer.

"_Heh. Let's just say that I don't have much of a future left. My telomeres… were naturally short. After all… I am a clone."_

"_HUH?"_

_

* * *

_

"The only reason we exist is as an experiment to raise funds for the dream known as Kira Yamato." Ray leaned back in his chair, speaking in a tone of voice that was completely unheard by the black-haired coordinator before.

"What?"

"The reason probably is just because they could. But because of that, I… heh, what am I supposed to do? My mother doesn't exist. My father was merely a sample of sperm from a man that thought he could live forever. The fool. I have no feelings towards the dreams he had. That and my body ages faster than the normal human rate, and eventually I will die so I can't think of my body either. And they call this a marvelous advancement of science."

"Ray…" To see him opening up was not only odd, but scary.

"My previous self would not accept fate, and he died, in an attempt to take the entire world with him. But seriously, who's fault is that? Who should be blamed for it?" As Ray spoke those words, Shinn was thrown into a pit of his own doubts and memories, falling down even though he was standing still. "I'm a child that is a victim of this manipulative world. That's why I want to end this world, before my life ends, before my… heh… Ray of light extinguishes. Children like me should never be born again and will never have to. That's why I need you, Shinn."

* * *

"_Me?"_

"_To protect that future in my place."_

Shinn clenched his jaw and let out a quick sob, remembering what his friend entrusted to him. With that his answer to Dullindal was clear. "Hai. Mine and Ray's feelings are the same." Ray let a relieved smile touch his lips.

Kira's HiMat system popped up behind his main controls and began locking onto multiple enemies. He let loose another volley of attacks, effectively disabling every weapon the mobile suits in front of him had. A missile hit the front neck of the legged ship, giving everyone a jolt. "Orange 12, more mobile suits, four of them!" Milly cried over the explosion.

"Portside, ten degrees! Corinthos, TEI!" The rear launchers released their payloads.

"Neo Lorrnoke, Akatsuki, iguzei!" Orb's signature golden MS, fresh with a brand new DRAGOON Striker, headed into the battle. The Murasame squad aboard hit the runway and were out of the gate.

From the Eternal, the DOM Troopers took to heavens. The pirate/mercenary Hilda took the lead. "I don't know what kind of stuff you're on, but you're totally out of it trying to take down Lacus-sama's ship!" Two of the three shot pinpoint accurate rifle shots at two ZAKUs while the third went to point blank range and sent the bazooka attack flying.

"Huh? What the hell kind of mobile suits are those?" Yzak blinked at the screen.

"Ignoring them, what are we supposed to be doing, Commander?" Dearka spoke from his cockpit.

"Huh?"

"Should we go out right now and get cut to ribbons?"

"Fucking idiot! If you're thinking that then don't launch from the start!"

"Yeah, well…."

"I'm heading out too!"

"Hah?"

"Commander!" Yzak's XO yelled after him as he kicked off towards the elevator.

"Make sure the Voltaire stays at the rear of the fleet. You get that? Disregard all orders to go to the front! You'll die!"

"H…hai…."

The captains of the Archangel and Minerva stared down at each other. "Umm… Captain…." Arthur fidgeted.

"I know, Arthur." She quickly said back, silencing him for the time being. She bit her lip for a moment. "Abby, put me through to Archangel."

"EH?" The XO turned his chair around and slammed back into it.

"I know what I'm doing, Arthur." She picked up her phone and looked up into the screen.

"Captain!" Milliaria spoke. "We've got a laser transmission incoming from the Minerva!"

"Eh?" Ramius picked up her receiver and the woman's image displayed on screen.

"This transmission is not about peace talks I'm afraid, Captain Ramius. Our battle is inevitable."

"Ah, I knew that from the start."

"I merely want to confirm something. Meyrin Hawke, is she well?"

"Hai. She and Adam are doing just fine."

"Gwah?" Arthur looked on in disbelief, as the other bridge crew let out stunned gasps as well.

"Adam? He's alive?"

"Apparently your pilots haven't been giving you accurate reports, Captain." Murrue shrugged.

"I don't suppose I would be able to talk with them?"

"This situation makes that impossible I'm afraid."

"I should have expected that. Then one more thing before we begin, Captain Murrue Ramius. I feel the same way as you, which is why I must fight you, to put an end to this madness with my heart as my guide. No hard feelings."

"None taken, Captain Talia Gladys." She saluted her before the transmission cut out.

The blonde sighed as she put down the receiver. Instantly she straightened. "This ship will now join the battle! Have Impulse launch! All weapons free. Target: Archangel!"

"Hai!" Arthur snapped out of his stupor with minimal delay.

"We'll sink that ship today, for all of ZAFT's sake!" All of the launcher tubes loaded charges, the Tristan cannons calibrated their aim, and the Isolde projectile launchers emerged from their hidden cradle.

"Minerva, incoming!" Milly stated the obvious.

"Port ten degrees, down fifteen. Gottfried's target: Minerva!"

"EEEHHH!" Neo growled as his Dragoons shot off from his back. Three ZAKU Phantoms approached, firing their rifles. The center one was pierced by a DRAGOON shot in the hip. The one to its right was taken out from the rear, slicing off its Wizard from another blast. The third was split through the center. All three exploded as the pods returned to Akatsuki and he moved on to the next target.

Two mobile-armor mode Murasame twirled around each other in a nose dive, firing the rifles underneath their wings. A Gouf's flight pack was turned to scrap, and a second's shield arm was ripped completely off. A Slash ZAKU Warrior lowered its gattling cannons at Eternal and fired away, peppering a CWIS until it exploded. The three DOMs hovered in formation. The first fired its bazooka, impacting the ZAKU's shield, the second taking a rifle shot into its chest.

Yzak was on the flightline in less than a minute, and his white GOUF shot out of the catapult, shortly followed by Dearka's black and grey ZAKU Phantom. "What are you thinking of, Yzak? You're not thinking of…."

"There's only one guy I want to take a swing at right now!"

"Huh?"

"Yet again the bastard shows up in a place like this! How dare he?" Dearka just sighed at his outburst.

Eagle returned to mobile armor mode and bared its claws. As the brown suit dove forward, its core cannon discharged from its nose, taking out the mobile suit on the left of the formation. Adam rolled below and to that left side to avoid taking hits from the other GuAIZ. The beam claws activated as he tilted to the side, tearing up two mobile suits torsos. His claws opened up and fired to the rear, taking out two more with headshots. "Now, Kira! Athrun!" He returned to mobile suit mode and sent out his DRAGOONs. Freedom activated the giant saber and sliced off a battleship's main engine. Justice came from below, taking out its weapon systems with a missile barrage.

The Impulse's first platform was at the Central Catapult runway, heating up its engines. Bee, bee, bee, buzzzz! The red-headed pilot's hand went to her helmet, lowering the visor. "Lunamaria Hawke, Core Splendor, ikkuwayo!" She went to meet her other parts in the sky, joining with the Force Silhouette to form the blue, red, and white form it was known for. "Kgh!" She grunted as she accelerated to full speed.

"TEI!" Both captains said at once. All of the weapon systems on both ships fired at once.

White Angel bounded down the halls in the low gravity, the red emergency lighting making the directional markings hard to see. Both she and Alan appeared at opposite ends of a hallway. "Agh!" She whipped out her pistol and fired. The only sound was a click. "Empty?"

"Crap!" Alan took two shots when he noticed her. The woman ducked into another room, quickly. He pushed off the wall and entered the other access door to it. The place he entered would haunt his dreams for all eternity.

Station Three's defense line went on alert. "Attention. Attention. Unidentified vessel, you are entering a restricted zone. Alter your course immediately or we will shoot."

"…ay. Ma….. Mayday! ZAFT forces, do… read me?" A girl in a space suit's picture came onto the screen, scrolling and staticy.

"Unidentified vessel, you are entering a…."

"Oh thank God. Hold your fire, please! This is the passenger ship, Gabriel, flying out of Copernicus. We were caught in crossfire, and the bridge was hit."

"Passenger ship, Gabriel, this is the ZAFT regional command center. What is your cargo?"

"We're refugees. We're trying to get to PLANT and escape the fighting. Please, help us! Everyone's dead up here, and I can't fly this thing!"

"Understood. Please remain calm. We're sending a wing of ZAKUs to escort you. I want you to try and find the hangar controls and open them so we can get a pilot aboard. Does your ship have any weapons?"

"I don't think so. It was modeled after the Archangel, but it's strictly a passenger ship."

"I'm not detecting any energy readings here either. Have you found the controls?"

"Is this it?" The girl pressed a button, and the legs of the ship opened up.

"Yes, that's it. Now just standby. We'll get someone to take over for you."

"Thank you." She sniffed. The transmission cut out and her helmet came off. She shook her hair out and grumbled. "It's way too hot in these things. Okay, people, get ready. This is going to be really critical on timing, so don't space out." Fllay unzipped the suit and stepped out of it, straightening her vest.

As fortress Messiah continued forward towards the moon, Shinn went to the pilot's lounge to float around for a while and think. While doing so, Ray and Dullindal met. "Station One will probably go down soon. But that's all right. We still have two more. I have a feeling they'll come here next. They need all the help they can get, after all."

"Hai."

"The Minerva and the defense fleet should deplete them significantly, but you already know how strong they are. They must be defeated or this madness won't end."

"I know." Ray said. "But what about that?" He motioned towards Destroy MKII.

"That one might be a problem, actually. Its attack patterns are random, uncoordinated, like it's a child throwing a tantrum. It was heavily damaged before we got there, but its armor is extremely hard to pierce. I've authorized an infiltration team to detonate it from the inside."

"But what could be powerful enough to destroy something of that size?"

"Isn't that obvious, Ray?"

Ray smiled and raised an eyebrow. "A nuke. You supplied them with a nuke, didn't you?"

"I suddenly feel like a father, outwitted by his son." Dullindal laughed.

"This is Exterminator 1. Pest in sight."

"Well yeah, it's kind of hard to miss. Exterminator 2 confirms."

"Quit your yapping. Exterminator 3 confirms." Three small transports came over the horizon, slowly drifting towards Destroy MKII.

"Attention Exterminator group, this is the FAITH battlegroup HGhost. Dullindal has given us a go. We're delivering your packages now." Two Nazca-class and one Laurasia came up behind them and launched supplies for the transports.

"Finally, hook them up quick. For the sake of Dullindal's dream, we need to finish this thing off fast!"

Alan's gun rattled in his hand as he stared at the sight with his mouth hanging open in fright. He was in a room covered in thick wires, attached to rows and rows of small square containers with lights blinking down below. Inside each container was some kind of bubbling unknown liquid, and a human brain. "Wh… what…."

"Beautiful, isn't it?" The voice of White Angel spoke. A shot blew through one of the containers by his head, shattering the glass. He ducked and rolled out of the way, with his sense of survival renewed. That is, until one of the brains stared at him with still connected eyes, even though they couldn't see. "Truly a marvel."

Alan broke his gaze in time to see a shadow skit across the other side of the room. "What is this? Did you make this?"

"Well in part, yes. And what is it? Don't you recognize a computer when you see one?" She shot out a capsule above what she hoped to be his head. The contents spilled out a few feet away from him.

"You call THIS a computer?"

"It indeed is a computer. You see the human brain is the fastest computer known to man. And we only use only ten percent of our brains at once. Imagine what we could do with a person at full power, and linked together with so many other minds. No supercomputer in existence would be able to go against it!"

Alan got up and slid along the isle. "How many? How many did you kill to make this … abomination?" He rounded a corner and shot. He didn't hit a thing.

"Kill? Oh we didn't kill anyone. You see so many were dying before at Lodonia, that it was a waste of resources. You only have one body, and if it gets ruined then that's it. But at least we managed to salvage the cerebellum for a better use. It was their wish. They wanted to be successes, and not failures. Now the failures have become the success. 200 minds linked together to form the ultimate computer, unchalleneged by anyone!" She laughed as she shot through three canisters, dropping one of the brains on Alan's head.

"Kah!" Luna spun past CWIS bullets and dove straight for Eternal's bridge.

Meyrin gasped as she looked at her screen. "This is… Impulse? Lumi!"

'This is what we need to do, right? This is what we need to do, right Shinn?' Luna whispered in her head.

"No Onee-chan! STOP!"

Luna pulled back on the control stick. "Meyrin? She's on the Eternal?"

"Why are you fighting like this? Why are you fighting me? Why can't you see the signs I did, Onee-chan? The Lacus-sama you knew was the fake!" Tears stung Meyrin's eyes. "Do you hate me that much for leaving that you'd kill me?"

"Mars, Herbert," Hilda and the DOMs locked onto Impulse. "Tear that one apart, copy?"

"You got it."

"Ah!"

"Jet Stream Attack!"

"Agh!" Luna squeaked as she saw the red streak vectoring in on her. She fired her rifle, but it just bounced off the particles being emitted from the first suit. It took a swing at her with its beam saber, but she went high. The second took a rifle shot which she twitched to the left to dodge, and it sideswiped her on the way out. The third fired a bazooka into her shield and she lost control of her craft as alarms blared around her. "Aaaaahhh!"

"Haa!" Meyrin squeaked. "Lacus-sama, that's my sister out there!"

"DaCosta, order the DOMs to disable that suit at once. Make sure they keep the cockpit intact." She said quickly.

"Hai!"

"Haven't Kira and the others made it to the relay station yet?" Waltfeld fidgeted.

Archangel turned as its CWIS guns knocked Minerva's missiles out of the sky. "We've got them! Port 30 degrees. Tannhauser, active!" The positron cannon emerged from its hatch in the bow.

"Minerva's main weapon is in position to fire!"

"Eh?" Ramius looked to her right. "Shit! If we move, the Eternal will take the blow!"

"TEI!" The massive energy burst erupted from the cannon.

Ramius gasped and slammed into her chair as she saw the wave coming straight for the bridge. A single mobile suit slid into the path and spread out, the energy crackling against its golden hull. "Archangel won't go down!" Neo yelled. The explosion in front of him triggered something in his mind. The scene was all too familiar. 'Murrue…. I'm….' The glistening mobile suit whipped out its rifle and fired through Minerva's main cannon, detonating it. "I'm okay."

"Eh?" Murrue blinked, still in shock.

"I'm not going to heaven for a while!" Akatsuki's DRAGOONs detatched and assumed positions around the legged ship as Minerva fired a secondary round with its Tristans. The DRAGOONs thrusted backwards while firing off a strange energy. It expanded into a lightwave barrier, deflecting the attack. "Let's finish this up and go home together, Murrue!"

"Mwu!" She smiled, fighting back tears.

"Ah! The fortress is back!"

As the wing of five ZAKUs approached the open bays of the Gabriel, Fllay leaned forward, squinting. "Wait for it. We've got only one shot. We need to be precise." The tactical readout turned red on the two outermost mobile suits. "Fire!" From the launch bays, two beams of green light pierced the second and fourth Zaku. Gottfried beams cast their energy outward, two of the four beams catching the first and fifth Zaku, while the others blew past them, piercing two Nazca-class bridges. "Now, launch Balls, drop Mirage Colloid on the weapons. Valiant, target closest enemy vessel. Fire!"

Three of the white spheres catapulted out of the bays and surrounded the Zaku. One grappled onto it and fired. "It's an ambush!" The pilot cried before he died.

The three troop transporters were hooked up to booster rockets as each one was given a crate marked with a radiation symbol on it. "Delivery complete. We're going out in front, Exterminator team. You know what to do once the shooting starts."

"Copy."

Stellar's alarms went off. "Nani?" She looked at the screen. "Are you also going to KEEP ME FROM SHINN!" Her saucer cannons set the sky ablaze.

One of the Nazca class was it. "Portside cannon destroyed, sir! Hell, the entire portside is gone!"

"All hands, full speed ahead, return fire at will, and you'd better have a lot of will!" All of the ships sent out their weaponry at once, missiles and beams coated the vacuum. The missiles just bounced harmlessly off the armor before detonating, and the Panzers were swinging every which way to deflect the beams.

"That's our cue!" The captain of the Exterminator team commented. "Activate rockets!" All three of the boosters lit up, and the crews were slammed back into their chairs as they accelerated.

Stellar's screen brought them up instantly. "No…" She whispered as her mind changed them from ships into Impulse and a Murasame, diving forward to cut her cockpit open. "NOOOO!" She went on a random rampage, firing everything she had at once. The two Nazca class were obliterated by the positron cannons.

A multi-phasic beam was deflected and cut through the lead transport. "GYAH!" One of the men cried as the nuke onboard detonated behind the other two.

"Keep going! Don't let their loss be in vain!" The captain cried as he squinted, targeting the hangar. "Jettison boosters!" The first transport's equipment released from the ship as it powered down.

Alarms rang through the second ship. "It won't disengage! Captain, I'm sorry!" The pilot of the second ship pulled up and plunged into the closest positron cannon. "For ZAFT's sake!" The explosion caused the Destroy to tilt back and regain its balance.

"NO!" The captain slammed his fist as his ship was the only one to survive and enter the hangar.

"AGH!" Stellar cried. "It feels like my head is splitting apart! Why?" She searched everywhere for an answer, and eventually accessed a security camera, in a room full of canisters of brains. White Angel dropped the clip from her gun and slammed in another. "Mother?" She turned on the sound for the room.

"Lodonia?" Alan said as he removed the grey matter from his hair. "I read that report. So you're a part of Blue Cosmos, huh? And these are all the Extended failures!" He rounded the corner of another shelf and he saw her. "Kgh!" He fired a shot that chipped off a chunk of glass as she rounded another corner. "But you're wrong, the human brain can't function without an essence, a will, a personality. There is no possible way it could work, no matter how many children you killed!"

"Foolish little man." She let fly a little laugh. "If we could erase memories and control behavior of our Extended, why do you think we couldn't take it a step further, and turn an entire brain pattern into data? That's what we did to Stellar, our best little assassin." She spun around the corner and pointed the barrel at his head as he did the same.

"I've heard that name before, too, yelled out by a young boy during the fight with the first Destroy."

"Yes, that would be Stellar Lousier. Of course that's not her real name, we reprogrammed her with a new identity. Even I don't remember what her name used to be. I suppose I should, though."

"Stellar isn't… Stellar?" The girl inside the computer blinked in confusion.

"What do you mean by that?" Sherridan snarled.

"Do you really think all of these brains came from orphaned children? No. You see, Stellar wasn't completely there in the head, so her parents brought them to our cover organization to seek help for her. We helped ourselves to the girl and never looked back."

"You murdered her parents, didn't you? Didn't you!"

"I had no choice, they were becoming so bothersome, begging to see their child. At one point they threatened to sue, and take her back by force, and I couldn't allow that to happen. What a waste, such a pretty couple, Stellar would have been a sister in a few months had they not persisted."

"You fucking bitch…. So you're saying the one that's piloting this fortress, the one that is encoded into this system is Stellar?"

"Of course. Where her parents only saw insanity, we saw potential. She was the only one in the entire program that was 100 percent compatible with the Destroy system. During the battle we encoded all her data in every detail, and installed it here. Of course we never expected her to die in that battle, but it's no waste since we have her mind."

"D…die?" Stellar's mind entered shock mode again.

"No waste? You… wait… you didn't tell her! You didn't tell her anything, did you? You didn't tell her that she's made of data. You didn't tell her that in the real world she's dead. Never living, never learning, never ageing, never loving, how could you do that to someone?"

"A war machine has no use for feelings. That's all she is, a machine. Of course, unexpectedly, she did fall in love, with of all people some ZAFT red coat. Falling in love with the enemy, ridiculous. Of course, with that, we were able to put a new control on her. She never understood from the beginning that she could never experience that kind of love. If she went on a date, we'd erase it. If she ran away with him, she would die without her chemical booster. She could never marry, have children, or live a human's life. Her precious Shinn was out of her reach from the start."

"You're sick. You'll pay for your crimes right now." Alan's finger twitched on the trigger.

"Oh, but can you do it without me killing you first? Haven't you figured it out yet?" She lowered her voice. "I'm an Extended too."

"What?" Alan's eyes went wide. With lightning reflexes, the woman whipped him with the butt of her pistol and spun him around. "GAAAAAAAHHH!" He fell to his knees as he cried out in pain, a fresh hole blown straight through his right arm. The pistol in his hand dropped to the floor.

Some warm, wet metal was pressed against the back of his head. "This is where you die."

Out in space, all activity on the part of Destroy MKII stopped. The Panzer pods floated freely, no energy emanating from any of the weapons. The remaining Laurasia-class cruiser and its mobile suits stared at the strange sight. "Hold your fire, but keep your distance. This might be a trap."

The innards of the facility went completely dark. "What?" White Angel looked around for a moment. Then all the lights in the room lit up again, and the row of glass containers nearest to her started to shatter on their own, covering both of them with sharp splinters of glass.

"MOTHER!" Stellar roared over the intercom. "How could you? How could you? Stellar is Stellar! Stellar loves oceans, seashells, and… Shinn. Mother lied! You kept me from Shinn, not the scary people! Stellar will never… Shinn will… I WON'T FORGIVE!" The entire shelf of brains next to her exploded.

"AGH!" She squeaked as she covered her head with her arms. Alan got up and spun around, using whatever muscles in his right arm that would move to swipe a his blood-covered hand across her wide open eyes. "GAH! My eyes! I can only see red!"

"You'll see a lot more of it in hell!" He pulled out the gun in his left holster and let loose a shot straight between her eyes.

The initial surprise attack was over. Now the Balls were up against GINNs and ZAKUs from the remaining Laurasia-class, which had accelerated to combat speed. "Down pitch 20 degrees, starboard 15. Give him a taste of our portside weapons. FIRE!" Appolly yelled. The Valiant shot a charged projectile into one of the lower CWIS guns, but the Gottfried blast was countered by an anti-beam charge.

As the energy disbursed, something caught Fllay's eye in the corner of the screen. After squinting for a second, her eyes went wide, her color palate inverting. "No. It can't be." She whispered. Taking another look, she was most certain, it was a dark gray mobile suit with yellow and blue trimmings on the chest, and had a humanoid face. It also had a backpack covered in spines. "Appolly, I'll leave this to you!" She said as she dove into the elevator. "Why? How?"

"Agh!" Athrun yelled as throttled back, missiles heading straight for him.

"Daicho!" Adam turned quickly.

A white GOUF's gattling arm shot off in front of Justice, detonating the attacks. "You piece of shit!" Yzak yelled. "In a place like this, are you even using that brain of yours?"

"Yzak?"

"You're the one that's not using your brain." The black ZAKU slid next to him. "Didn't they already say their objective was to destroy that thing?"

"Dearka…"

A third video appeared on his screen. "You know these two weirdos, Daicho?"

"Who are you calling a weirdo? You bastards shouldn't even be here!" Yzak snapped.

"Geez, who cares about that anymore?" Dearka shrugged. "What do you say we save the bickering for later?"

"Eh?" Athrun tilted his head.

"Dearka… you prick!"

"You're gonna destroy the relay point right? Care for an escort?" The cooler headed of the three shrugged again. He went forward, with Yzak and Athrun right behind him.

"WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON?" Adam yelled before going to catch up.

"Go buy the fucking DVD." Yzak shot back.

"Athrun, are they…" Kira entered formation.

"Ah."

The two ZAFT units took out the cover as they entered the center of the colony. The METEORs spread their beam sabers and both plunged them deep into the armor of the colony. Their arms spread wide, cutting the cylinder in half. "Now Adam, push it apart!" Kira ordered.

"Yokhai!" Adam's cockpit receded into the unit as the wings shifted back. The cannon detached from the nose as the arms unfolded from the hold in the chest cavity. The legs extended from the base as the nose cone popped off, and the core cannon set into the chest tightly. The magnetic seals on the cone released, and each half landed squarely on its shoulders. It took a pose that made it look like it was flexing its muscles as the DRAGOONs popped off. The gunbarrels each went into his hands and he spread his arms out. The saberbarrels pushed his mobile suit into a spin with their engines as he began firing both gunbarrels and the core cannon. The streaks of red, blue, and green filled the tunnel with light as the two halves tore apart from each other. Adam returned the DRAGOONs to his back. "Objective complete!"

"Let's get the hell out of here!" Waltfeld ordered as the five mobile suits retreated.

"Initiating the get-the-hell-out-of-here maneuver." DaCosta smiled.

"Joke when we have time!"

"Sorry, sir!"

"Break off engagement with Minerva and rendezvous with Eternal. We're heading back to Requiem." Ramius ordered.

The Minerva fired the return flares. Luna shook her head. "Minerva, Duterion Beam! I'll stay out, but I need a recharge."

Fllay winced as she struggled to finish zipping up her flight suit. "Damn it, of all the times to have another growth spurt." She hurried into the hangar and jumped into the mobile suit that was waiting there. "Open the hatch! Do it fast or I'll blow it open!"

"H…hai!" A frightened engineer skitted off.

Her mobile suit stepped out onto the catapult, and a weapons pack came down from the ceiling while a shield came out of the wall. "Fllay Alster, Strike Rouge IWSP, delu!" She leaned forward and the catapult shot her out into the stars, the bright red color covering her mobile suit. She searched the heavens for what she saw before. Her eyes got a lock on the target, and she gunned forward. "It is you! How? Why?"

"Huh?" The man in the other suit laughed. "That voice… could it be? Why yes, my dear little servant, Fllay Alster. Didn't I kill you a year or two back?"

"RAU LE CRUSET!" Fllay yelled at the top of her lungs. "Why are you here? How are you even alive?" She fired the CWIS mounted on her shield at the opponent.

He simply laughed again as he sidestepped it. "My my, such toys you've got too. Does your beloved little Coordinator know you're playing with them?"

"He's not my beloved anymore, you saw to that! Answer me! Why are you here?"

"Now now, let's not be so hasty. We haven't even had the chance to catch up. I'm sure your figure has developed quite a bit since I last saw you."

"You want to catch up? Fine, let me fill you in with four words." She drew two swords from her hips. "You ruined my life! HaaaaaaAAAHHH!" Rouge charged towards the mobile suit and swung both swords at once. Providence merely blocked them with its shield.

"You've certainly gotten more courageous. You were cowering with fear most of the time. I loved that you know."

"You… you took away everything from me! It was your team that killed my father. It was you who kidnapped me, took me away from everything I held dear. And it was you who kept me from re-uniting with him. My Kira... now I can never be with him because of you!" Her shoulder cannons lowered and fired rapidfire at point blank range as they broke away from each other.

"Oh come now, have you forgotten about my phase shift armor? That will hardly even make a dent. And 'your Kira'? I thought you only wanted him as a shield." Cruset fired his beam rifle, and she blocked it.

"You're wrong! Yes, I did use him. He was the only foothold I had for my own survival. I gave up my own virginity just to make him mine to control, but whenever I saw him hanging around with the other girls, be it Cagalli, or Milly, and especially Lacus, I hated it, loathed it. And then after the Flashing Blades battle, when I thought I had lost him, I realized it. I loved him. I loved him and I needed him, not as my shield, but as my equal. But because of you… BECAUSE OF YOU!" She skitted around his beam shots, and pulled out the Flash Edge housed in her shield, brandishing it like a saber. Hers and his beams showered sparks in the sky. "Because of you, I never got to see him again! If you had never taken me away, I would have been there when he returned! Instead he fell in love with Lacus Clyne. And when you tried to execute me, it was obvious I couldn't return to him. I was erased from existence because of you! So I'll erase YOU!"

"What can a weak little girl like you do against me?"

"You forgot something, Cruset! I should have died when you shot that shuttle. I have nothing left to lose, so I'll take you with me!" She wrapped the Rouge's legs around Providence's waist. "At this range, your DRAGOONs are useless. You can't hit me without hitting yourself. And when I self destruct, you'll go up too, just as soon as your Phase Shift armor drops." She lowered her cannons to the mobile suit's face and locked the switch in the firing position, launching burst after burst.

"Hahahaha! You foolish girl! You don't get it, do you? As long as you hate me forever in your heart, I will never die! I am the personification of your hatred! I will not die!"

"Then you'll die along with me, Rau le Cruset!" She pressed a button and the self destruct keypad slid out from her armrest. "Now, let's see where we wind up going."

A large jolt shook her before she could press a button. Her cockpit opened and a man in a green pilot suit came up and shook her. "Alster-sama… Alster-sama! Snap out of it!"

"Roberto, what are you doing? Get out of here, quickly! If I don't take Cruset out then…." She looked over his shoulder to the outside. The only view was of Station Three and space. "Where'd he go? Did you force me to lose my grip on him? Roberto!"

"Alster-sama, what are you talking about? You launched and were just shooting and slashing at nothing. We had to keep the mobile suits busy so they wouldn't shoot you down. And you weren't answering any hails."

"What? You mean… was that all in my head?"

"Come on, sensors are picking up ZAFT reinforcements. We need to get out of here." He kicked back from her control panel and drifted into the cockpit of his Ball.

"Uh… yeah. And Roberto… thanks." She closed the cockpit and sighed. "Strike Rouge, returning to ship. Set a course for Requiem and signal Sherridan for a rendezvous. We're backing up the Archangel." She turned back towards Gabriel and started for her docking run. Suddenly her computer beeped and zoomed in on a mobile suit with spines on its back. She gasped for a second, but shook it off and turned off her HUD. "It's just my imagination again."

From that coordinate in space, an MSV ZAKU with a DRAGOON pack on its back watched the ship disappear into space. "What was that?" A young boy said. "And why did she yell my father's name?" He turned back towards his mothership, to land and ponder the entire scene he saw before him.

Ray entered the pilot lounge. "Did you manage to rest up a bit? We'll be heading out soon.

Shinn snapped his sister's phone shut, which he had been looking at once again. "Ah. I'm fine. The situation? Minerva?"

"Minerva fought valiantly, but Station One was lost just the same. Right now they're pursuing the Archangel and Eternal, which is heading our way. Don't worry about it. Lunamaria is safe."

"Uh?"

"You need to believe in her some more, my friend. She has a very admirable strength and determination. You chose well." Shinn looked away in embarrassment. "Most likely they'll head back to their main fleet heading for Daedalus with the goal of showing ORB's strength by obliterating Requiem. We can't let that happen, or else the world will fissure again."

"Orb is… really…."

"You'll save that country, you know. You have to. That's all there is to it."

"Target distance: 8000." A hand on the Kusanagi reported.

"Aim the Lohengrin!" Soga-san ordered XO Amagi. From the sides of the ship, four launchers folded out. "FIRE!"

All four beams erupted from the ship, targeting the center of the hole. Without warning, three crystals lit up on the rim and energy spread out from them, deflecting the attack, sending a backlash wave of dust on the lunar surface. Dullindal had installed reflectors onto the weapon.

"Damn it!" Alan yelled as he tied up his torn up arm using the dead woman's lab coat.

"Hey Mister, are you okay?"

"Huh? Who's there? Who's that?"

A video projection popped up on the back wall. "Stellar."

"You're…"

"Unh…."

"Too young…" Alan shook his head. "I'm so sorry."

"Stellar is fine. But… my time is gone. Stellar will die today." She giggled.

"What's so funny?"

"For the first time, that word doesn't scare Stellar. Shinn protected me from that word. Now Stellar must die, to protect Shinn."

"Why? Why must you die? Maybe some way, we can save you."

She shook her head. "Stellar is already dead. Stellar's body can't move anymore, see anymore, or feel Shinn's touch anymore. Mother was right. Stellar is a machine, a machine made to kill the creepy things from space. Shinn is from that creepy space. Stellar must die, so I won't attack Shinn. Besides," She moved her hand and a smaller window popped up next to her image showing the Exterminator task force, running down the halls with the large crate in tow. "These people will destroy Stellar soon."

"But…."

"Escape, Mister. You shouldn't die because of Stellar either."

"Stellar…. But what about your family? There are bound to be some relatives of yours left. Even if you can't remember your name I'm sure…."

"It's fine. Stellar is Stellar. I don't have a mother or father. It's all Stellar knew, until I met Shinn. Mister, escape, but do me one favor when you do, please."

"Messiah will be entering battle." An announcement went over the intercom. "Condition Red. I repeat…."

"Activate all weapon options. Neo Genesis, stand by." A relatively small metallic frame moved into position over a dish with a hole in the center at the side of the base.

Shinn and Ray did their final checks in their cockpits as the lunar fleet pursued the others. Suddenly everyone's screens lit up. A new energy signature appeared on the moon, a big one. "Captain!" Milly gasped. "Orange 186, a massive structure is coming over the horizon!"

"A fortress?"

"How'd they hide something that big?" Waltfeld growled.

"The target will be in range in 20." One of the Messiah ops personel reported.

"Neutron Jammer Canceller active. Nuclear cartridge at the detonation point."

"I'm reading a high energy weapon being focused from the structure!" Meyrin yelled.

"A positron cannon?" Lacus asked quickly.

"BIGGER!"

"It's targeting the fleet!" Kira realized.

"Damn it!" Athrun pushed his controls.

"We're not gonna make it in time!" Adam was already at maximum burn.

"The target is now in range."

"Shoot." Dullindal ordered. A focused burst of energy shot out of the hole onto a reflective panel on the wire frame. It scattered to separate panels on the dish, bouncing back and forth until the buildup was so much that the radiation overtook the panel and launched forward.

"Engines to max! All ships evade!" Soga ordered. The ORB Izumo-class ships went vertical, but the slower EAF and ZAFT ships were overtaken by the irradiation wave. The sheer power disintegrated them in an instant as the rest looked on. The weapon cut a swath in the crust wide enough to fit two Destroy MKIIs.

Everyone was taken aback by the damage that was done, and the revival of the weapon itself. The original Genesis was compacted into this new, smaller, more focused version. With the old one, at least there were scrap parts left. This only left molecules. "I suggest you hurry up charging the next shot." Dullindal spoke. "Destiny, Legend, take off!"

Ray was first to the end of the bay, his phase shift armor already on. "Ray za Burrel, Legend, hashin salu!"

"Shinn Asuka, Destiny, ikkimas!" Destiny's blue and red armor appeared mid launch, and he spread his plasma wings to meet up with his comrade.

"Shit, to think they had something that powerful in their arsenal." Waltfeld hissed.

"Is… is that…" Meyrin quaked.

"Genesis, another abomination of human creation. Dullindal has gone too far." Lacus pounded her armrest.

"Minerva is approaching from the rear, distance: 22!"

"Khh!" The Archangel's captain spat.

"Well now, I suppose this is where I should say goodbye, Lacus Clyne. This is when you disappear."

Freedom and Justice's sensors picked up Legend and Destiny first. "Athrun!"

"Ah! This is it, Kira!" They ejected the METEOR weapons and went to intercept.

"Daicho!" Adam followed.

"No, Adam!" He yelled back. "Minerva is still on Archangel's tail. Stay with her and Eternal! Keep Meyrin safe!"

"But…."

"No arguments, now go!" He cut off the transmission.

"Kuso!" Adam turned back towards his mothership.

Destiny and Justice circled each other in the sky, shooting rifle shots that just would not connect. Freedom fired its core cannon at Legend, and it quickly rolled away. Turning all of its spikes to fire at the eight-winged suit. Kira flipped out of the way of the discharge, and they stared each other down. "Kira Yamato. Your existence is the only thing that's unforgiveable!"

Chapter 37 Preview: Who really understands the current situation they're in? Why do they fight against each other incessantly? Why do they create such horrific things? As the final pairings are made, the matches will decide the victor. Can those who are best of friends bring themselves to destroy the other? How will the essence of one passed effect the future? Next time on Old Friends Anew: True Power. Reveal your dream and spread it to the world, Freedom!


	37. Old Friends Anew Ch 37

Old Friends Anew

Phase-37: True Power

The battle had just turned from ugly to nightmarish. The ZAFT fortress Messiah had entered the battle, its orbital ring spreading forth a lightwave barrier around it, as Archangel and Eternal dove forward into the explosions. Mobile suits of all types launched from the fortress. "Station two, currently away from position: 160. Neo Genesis, power charge at 40 percent." The second deflection colony for Requiem was slowly advancing through the debris of the first one.

Minerva sent missiles flying from its starboard side. Adam's Eagle swooped in as a mobile armor and shot them down with the beams in its feet. "Like I'll let you!" Four more came in from the port side, going over his head. "Shit!" Archangel's CWIS started pumping shrapnel into the vacuum, catching the missiles before they could hit. Neuman banked slightly before a Tristan shot through the explosion, just over the starboard side.

Athrun spread the reflector on his shield as one of Legend's DRAGOONs fired a shot at him. He flipped around quickly, catching another on the return, before following up with a rifle blast that missed. "This is bad, Kira. If this keeps up ORB will…" He rolled out of the way as Ray attacked head on with a beam rifle.

"Tch." The blonde hissed.

"HeeeYYY!" Shinn snarled as he spread Destiny's wings, and dove forward. "I took you down once, I'll do it again!"

Kira, who was silent for a long time, finally spoke. "Archangel, go on without us. Athrun, too." Strike Freedom's wings spread out, launching all his DRAGOON pods into the air, the internal thrusters giving him eight lighted wings in the darkness. Everyone gasped at his request. "Justice can make it through the reflector shield. I'll handle this fortress!" The pods began firing in different directions.

Destiny pulled high, dodging the front shot, making full use of his Mirage Colloid afterimages. He saw one he couldn't dodge and spread the reflector on his wrist. Kira came in point blank and shot both his railguns and rifles into the shield. "Gaaahhh!" The mix of the two types of weapons caused an explosion that sent Destiny flying.

"But if we do that, then Eternal will be defenseless!" Murrue pointed out.

"At this moment, ORB is much more important than this ship." Lacus stated quickly. "ORB must survive if we are to bastion the plan." The METEORs fired all of their beam weapons as the pink flagship rolled. ZAKU Phantoms shot their shoulder-housed missiles into the heavens. They were too much to counter alone. The golden Akatsuki sent all of its pods around the ship and spread a lightwave barrier to counteract the measure. "It must survive no matter what sacrifices we must make. That's the reason we are in this fight." The DOM Troopers were in another Jet Stream Attack, destroying three enemy mobile suits simultaneously with their different weapons of choice.

"So what's it gonna be, Yzak?" Dearka looked at his white metal behind.

"Fuck it! We'll give the Eternal cover!"

"Wha?"

"Did you forget that's still a ZAFT ship?"

Archangel banked away hard, with Athrun in tow. Adam spread his fall-season colored wings as his pods shot off. The gunbarrells tore through two ZAKUs, and a GOUF that had its melee weapon out clashed with a saberbarrel, only to be cut down the center with the other. "Uh? Hey, don't leave without telling me!" He went in pursuit of the Archangel.

Legend's sensors picked up the movement. "Like I'll let you! What the hell is Minerva doing?" He thrust forward just as Freedom let loose its DRAGOONs again. A flash of pressure ran through his brain. "Uh!" He did a barrel roll away from the incoming intertwining beams, raising his shield to deflect one.

"Ray!" Shinn cried. "Damn you, Freedom!" He let loose two rifle blasts at the nuclear suit, deflected away by his energy shield. He put it behind his back and dove forward, ready to switch to any weapon he needed.

Kira's seed broke as he backed away, his eyes covering with a solid shade of purple. Destiny pulled out its cannon and let loose a red and blue beam. Freedom spread its limbs and discharged a core cannon shot. They cancelled each other out as they intercepted each other. Legend came from above, firing all its backpack's beams at the suit. Kira did a backflip out of the attack's path. "Shinn, cover the Minerva and go after Athrun and Archangel!" He tried the same tactic again, but Kira saw the movement and slid away before it let loose.

"Eh?"

"Freedom… is all mine!"

"Ray…. You're…."

"Yours is Justice. Make sure he never comes back this time! Let's end it all this time!"

"Ah, I got it!" Destiny streamlined and turned all engines to full.

Freedom caught the movement on its sensors, and Kira was about to go after him until a shock of pressure touched his brain. He launched upward just in time, as six different beams attempted to catch him in crossfire. Rolling and twisting wasn't enough as the beam spikes took a perfect shot against him. He spread both his hands' shields to block it. "This feeling is… what is going on here? Who are you?"

"Hit him!" Ray yelled as his DRAGOONs cut loose, forcing Kira to raise shields and back away. "That's right, bring it to an end." He pulled out a beam saber from his hip housing. "This time everything will for sure!" Kira reciprocated as they clashed, shield and sword.

Both DRAGOON equipped superpowers launched their pods into the emptiness of space. Kira raised his shields as the enemy fired, dodging as many as he could, whirling around and catching one with his beam rifle, detonating it. "Why is it like this? Why is this style…?"

"Eh!" Ray grunted, firing all his pods simultaneously. Kira once again rolled away.

Akatsuki and Infinite Justice skimmed the moon's surface as they raised their weapons to the sky, blowing away two ZAFT MS. "Looks like we've got a lot of them here." Mwu grumbled as all his pods released, letting loose simultaneous beam attacks, each one piercing a mobile suit. "Well… numbers don't mean shit without skills!"

"Gottfried, TEI!" Ramius ordered, and the attack tore through a Nazca class with ease.

Colonel Soga appeared on the line. "Captain Ramius?"

"We'll break through the shield on Requiem. We're out of time. Get our lines reorganized quickly!"

Milly caught a dangerous radar contact. "Minerva approaching on vector Blue Alpha. Distance: 16!"

"Eh?"

"Incoming missiles! Number: 12!"

Mwu finished dispatching another suit. "Tch!" He tried to make it towards his lover's ship.

Shrapnel kept the missiles from doing damage, but the shockwave shook them up, as Minerva cut another beam through the smoke, over their port bow. "Gottfried, take aim! FIRE!"

"EEEH!" Luna yelled as she fired her rifle twice, piercing two Murasame's without a second thought. Then a purple mobile suit came into view. "Justice? Athrun?"

"Impulse? Lunamaria's in there?" Athrun blinked as they circled each other.

"Athrun… why…."

"_No Onee-chan! STOP!"_

"_Why are you fighting like this? Why are you fighting me? Why can't you see the signs I did, Onee-chan? The Lacus-sama you knew was the fake!"_

Luna gripped her controls tighter as she remembered her sister's scream. "But you took Meyrin from me!" She pointed her rifle in his direction. "Why'd you do that to my sister?" She let loose a shot.

Athrun spread his beam shield. "Tch! Knock it off, Lunamaria! Why you too?" He took off at full burn.

"Don't run from me!" She pulled out her beam saber and swiped it forward and back.

"Kuso!"

"DAICHO!"

"Eh?" Athrun went wide eyed.

A saberbarrel clashed against Impulse's beam saber, and Eagle shouldercharged the ZAFT suit. "Aaaghh!" Luna squeaked as she was shaken.

"Daicho, get the hell out of here! You've got a job to do!" Adam grunted as he grappled with the suit in front of him.

"Damn it! Let go of me!" Impulse took a swift kick to Eagle's crotch, causing Adam to lose the grip as he backed away. "Don't get in my way!" She aimed up at Justice again and fired.

Adam opened up his beam shield and got in the way. "Lunamaria, your opponent is me!" He activated his first saberbarrel program and clashed sword on sword with her. "Stop fighting, Luna! Nothing good will come of this!"

"Who are you to tell me what to do?" Luna fired the vulcans in her chest. The attack just bounced off Adam's phase shift armor, but made him back away. "Even if you are Adam… you're nothing but a traitor!"

"What are you saying, Lunamaria? We're supposed to be friends!"

"My friend, Adam Cancho, died when Falcon exploded. Anything left of him that you are isn't any comrade of mine!" She charged forward with both sabers drawn. Adam raised his shield and swords up to block, as she slammed him at full force. "You took her away. You took Meyrin away and caused nothing but suffering to her!"

"Eh?" He looked up at the video screen in shock.

"I want my sister back!" She cried out in anguish. "She was crying on the Eternal! She was crying out desperately! And who put her there? You and Athrun!"

"You're wrong, Luna!" Eagle launched its gunbarrels.

"Agh!" She noticed them and broke off her attack, sliding back before the weapons discharged.

"Meyrin chose to go on the Eternal with Lacus! She chose to stay with us, even though we gave her every opportunity to return to PLANT! She wants to make a world where you can be happy!" As Adam spoke he was rapidly typing on his keyboard. "She wants to end the fighting. She was crying because she doesn't want to see you like this. I don't want to do this either, Luna!" Adam's saberbarrels latched onto his wrists and spread their energy on either side of his hand.

"Then surrender, and give her back!" She raised her beam saber over her head, "ADAM!"

"Kuso! Luna!" Adam went forward in the same position.

"HAAAHH!" A purple mobile suit came from below and slashed off her beam saber arm.

"Daicho?"

"Back off Lunamaria! We have no reason to shoot you down!"

"You little…!" She snarled as she fired off Impulse's chest vulcans. "Minerva! Abby! Launch every flyer, you hear me? Every single one!" Athrun backed up and engaged the boomerang housed in his shield. He chucked it at the white and blue MS. She thought it was going to attack her torso, but it caught her leg. "Gaaahhh!"

"Luna!"

She sat up with a relieved smile on her face. "Shinn!"

"You shouldn't have done that, you traitor!" Shinn swooped in, enraged. His beam cannon fired as fast as possible, and Athrun just barely had time to raise his arm, else it would have been taken off.

"Shinn!"

"You okay, Luna?"

"Shinn!"

"Go ahead, I'll cover you while you hook up!" He pulled out his big blade and spread his wings. "You fucking piece of…!" Athrun whipped out his double ended beam saber. Shinn swooped down and Athrun ducked underneath. They both turned around and clashed, sparks flying from both weapons. "How could you… You'll pay for hurting Luna!" His eyes turned a solid red as his seed broke. His engines went to full burn, pushing Athrun back towards the moon's surface.

"Shinn!" Luna could only watch as she slowly separated from her three flyers, awaiting connection with the others.

"Daicho!" Adam dove after them as fast as he could.

A loud clang rang through Legend and Freedom as their swords locked against each other. Kira was in the better position and swiped his saber across, forcing Ray to back off for a more favorable stance. "Who is it? Who the hell is it?"

"Kgh!" Ray hissed.

"I know you!"

"You've already figured it out, haven't you? My name is Rau le Cruset!" He launched all his pods and began random firing, including from his beam rifle. Freedom barely squeaked by. "Mankind's dreams… mankind's futures… and the so called wonderful product of that: Kira Yamato!" Kira was too stunned to do more dodging as all beams turned on him at once. He could only spread his shield and take it all, forcing him back. "Since that's so, you too, must be ended!"

"Rau le Crueset? How? How are you in my head again?" Kira wasn't even fighting back at this point. He could only defend, sensing the presence of the enemy he thought he killed long ago.

"Along with the rest of us."

Lacus's head shot up. Her eyes weren't a solid shade of blue as per her normal, but a fade from black to white. "Kira! I hear your cry! What is it?"

"For this world that will be reborn!"

"Stop it!" Kira yelled as he fired off his core cannon. It met Legend's beam shield and exploded harmlessly.

"_Say, where's Rau?" A slightly younger Ray asked Dullindal._

"_Rau is no longer with us I'm afraid." He replied. "But, you're also Rau."_

"_Huh?" Dullindal held out a box of blue and white pills._

"_That's what your destiny is."_

"What is this? Why are you showing me this?" Kira gasped as the images ran through his brain.

The captain of the infiltration team inside Destroy MKII wiped his brow after he initiated the timer on the nuke. "Okay everyone, pack up your trash."

"With this, this monstrosity will be destroyed right?"

"I sure hope so. We've put it in as close as we can to the generators. So we can only wait, now."

"Don't worry it will work." A soft voice spoke. "Thank you."

"Thanks for your vote of confidence miss. Uh what?" The men pulled out their weapons and looked around. There was nothing to be seen. "Okay, creepy."

"Y…yeah, let's go home, Commander."

"HhhaaaAAAHH!" Both Shinn and Athrun cried simultaneously. Their alarms beeped like mad. "Uh?" A red and blue beam tore between them.

"Knock it off!" Adam yelled as he swooped in from above in mobile armor form, claws stretched out. "Shinn! Shinn, just stop, please!"

"Wh…who are you?" He looked at the screen above him.

"God dammit!" Adam tore off his helmet and looked straight into the camera. "It's me, Shinn!"

"Adam? No way… it can't..." Shinn's eyes cleared.

"Shinn, please, enough of this. Put down your sword."

"It really was you, back then."

"Yes, it was me. Now do you see? I'm alive, I'm still here, and I'm still your friend. I don't want this to go on."

"Ah, neither do I, Adam." He pulled out his beam rifle and aimed it at the suit in front of him, keeping his blade at his side. "So power down your weapons and surrender. You're under arrest for obstruction of justice back at ORB."

"Eh?"

"Adam, get away from him, you're too close!" Athrun yelled.

"You attacked ZAFT mobile suits in an attempt to defend the enemy of the free world, Lord Djibril. For that I can't let you go. I'm sorry Adam."

"Shinn… you…." Adam closed his eyes and let out a sob.

"Uh?" Athrun straightened in surprise.

"Adam, you're…."

The boy lifted his head, tears streaming down his face. "So this is how it is, huh? It's always this way. No matter who I fight for, I'm always up against someone or something I care for. Where did everything go wrong? Why is it always like this?"

"Adam, you know you can stop this, just…."

"Damn it, Shinn, just shut up! Don't you know what this means? You of all people! Shinn, don't make me do this! I'm going to have to shoot you down! AGGHH!"A brown object slid in front of his eyes and exploded. "CHIKSHOU!" He dove forward, engaging the sabers on his claws.

"Agh!" Shinn yelped as he brought his blade back up. "Damn you, Adam!" Their attacks clanged against each other as each hit slid off the other's weapon.

"Shinn!" Luna cried, her new Force pack fully charged. "Get away from him!" She fired a blast in between them and swung her beam saber at Eagle.

Adam banked away hard and switched to mobile suit to avoid the hit. "Tch!" He thrustered up.

"Don't run from me, you coward!" Luna went after him.

"Luna, don't! He's too much for you!" Shinn yelled, preparing to pursue as well.

"Shinn Asuka!"

"Hah?" Justice twirled its beam saber upwards hard, slashing the beam blade in two. Shinn let out a stunned gasp.

"I'm sorry Shinn, but your fight is going to be with me." Athrun tightened his grip on his controls.

"It can't be!" Kira and Ray twirled around each other while dodging each others' DRAGOON blasts. "How could you be? How could you be here again?"

"_Something you can't escape from, that's yourself." Dullindal told a young Ray._

"_And something you can't take back, that's your past!" _Ray's voice echoed. _"That's why I'll end everything! They'll all return to the way they should be! _Humanity… _and the Earth!"_

Lacus lowered her brow. "Kira, no."

"Lacus…." The violet-eyed pilot whispered to himself.

Destiny pulled out both its boomerangs and hurled them at Justice. Athrun batted one away with its shield, and did a backflip kick to counter the other with the saber in his leg.

Adam spun away from Luna as she took two swipes with her beam saber. "Lunamaria…. Am I going to have to take you down too?"

"You won't. I'm different than I was before! And I'll take you down to prove it!" She fired a rifle shot at him, which he quickly batted away with his shield.

"I see. I'm sorry then." He brought out saberbarrel program 1 out, creating a double sided trident saber. He reciprocated her attack with a beam shot from one of his gunbarrels. She lifted up her arm and it slid under her, not even leaving a scorch mark. "Eh?"

"YOU FOOL!" Luna dove forward at top speed. "You're not going to win like that!"

"You're wrong!" Kira yelled as he fired both his beam rifles, taking out two of Ray's pods.

"Ungh!" Ray grunted in mental strain as he took control of four more, sending them into the fray.

Freedom backed away and shot out two on opposite sides, and he did it again for the last ones. "Only one life exists per person! Rau la Cruset lived his own life! Your life is your own, it's not his! Ray za Burrel!"

"Ahhhh…" His breath caught in his throat in total surprise. Kira knew this was his only chance. He let loose everything in his arsenal at once with pinpoint accuracy into the subsystems of the mobile suit in front of him. "GUUUAAAAHHH!" The blonde clone cried as systems exploded around him.

"I'll show you what Shinn taught me!" Luna yelled as she went for Adam. She tossed her shield directly at him and fired a rifle blast into it. The deflection angle forced it to bite into his shoulder shield armor.

"Tch! That's a nice trick!" He switched the beam saber to his good hand. "But not nice enough!" He targeted Impulse's legs and took a long swipe.

"Heh!" She uncoupled from the leg flyer, the beam passing neatly between as he slid through. The torso whirled around and fired a shot.

"Gah!" The explosion took out his right-hand gunbarrel. "Luna!" He whirled around, rifle at the ready.

"Adam!" She came down upon him beam saber blazing. He pulled backwards, but not fast enough to keep his beam rifle from being sliced in half.

He pulled back and implemented his Gunbarrel program 1, turning his remaining pod into a rifle. "Luna, stop before… what?" The Sword Silhouette came up under her and she pulled out the Flash Edge boomerangs. She hurled them at him. "Shit!" He batted one away with his shield, but the other swooped under his arm and sliced up his gunbarrel. He quickly activated Saberbarrel Program 3, reattaching his last two pods to his wrists.

"This is the end, Adam!" She sent the boomerangs flying again. Eagle spread the sabers now attached to its arms and swung at the dangerous weapons, sending them flying in different directions. Adam's core cannon charged up and let loose a powerful beam. Luna dove into it, slashing it apart with an Excalibur at full force. She closed in on the boy and slammed the end of her long weapon into his shield. But the shield is all it went through. Adam dropped the shield as a decoy and twirled into MA form, banking beside her and cutting up the rest of the Sword Flyer. "Tch!"

Eagle turned into MS Saberbarrel 3 again just as she turned around. The DRAGOONs fired from his hands and dove for the enemy. Luna put up her shield quickly. One saber cut a diagonal slice into it, soon added by another in the perpendicular direction. Adam's core cannon went off again, and Luna's shield took it at full force. The defensive measure buckled and exploded. "GaaAHH!" She screamed as she was blown backwards.

"LUNAMARIA!" Adam yelled.

She raised her head and went wide eyed. "Uso…." Adam was holding the Blast Silhouette in his hand as it struggled to get free. He punched out the autopilot and took total control of it with his universal adapters.

"This is the end, Luna. Again, I'm sorry." The railguns targeted and fired. Luna swooped out of the way of the linear weapon. The pack launched eight missiles from its large ends.

The girl retreated, sending shrapnel into the air with her remaining Vulcan clips and beam rifle rounds. The missiles detonated harmlessly in front of her. What she expected to be the beams next turned out to be sabers, as Eagle itself burst through the cloud and slashed off Impulse's arm, while its Pedima beam shot off her hip and leg. "Gaaahhh!" She cried.

Adam turned Eagle to look at Impulse. "It's over Lunamaria. You've lost." A tear ran down his cheek.

She didn't respond. She already knew it was done. The only thing she had now was a beam saber for her left hand, and that was her weak one. As if to add insult to injury, her power screen let out a flatline beep, and her phase shift armor dropped.

The Minerva swooped in behind the Archangel, both attempting to counter each other's missiles with CWIS bullets. "Athrun-kun… where is he?"

"No good! There's too much interference to lock onto his signal!" Milly answered.

"What about Adam-kun?"

"I lost him about the same time!"

A video transmission popped up on the monitor. "I'll take that up!"

"Mwu!" Captain Ramius's eyes began to quiver with worry.

"One wing of Murasame, form up on me!" He ordered as he turned tail.

"KUSO! Why is someone like you…?" Shinn pulled out his cannon and let one rip.

Justice covered its cockpit with the beam shield, and it deflected away in four different directions. "You're the one that keeps getting trapped in your own past! You're the one that keeps fighting while trapped in that past! Knock it off!"

"Huh?" He gasped.

Adam and Luna watched the fight from where they ended theirs above. Adam dropped low, in front of Athrun. "He's right, Shinn! You'll only make more people suffer! This won't bring anyone you lost back!"

"Wh… what the hell are you…?"

"Are you also planning on destroying your future?" Athrun yelled from behind his damaged comrade. Shinn gasped, and Luna's heart jumped in her chest.

"You wanted power, Shinn. Is this really what you wanted it for? SHINN!"

The boy leaned over in his cockpit, panting heavily, remembering those people he'd lost in life. His own nightmares returned to him. His speeches, his weaknesses, the all came back to him.

"Stop this, Shinn! It's crazy! You'll wind up hurting the people you love the most! Lower your weapons!"

"Even so…" The boy continued breathing hard. "EVEN SO!" His seed broke in his eyes again. He spread his wings.

"SHINN!" Adam fired his saberbarrels at him. Destiny dodged one and the other slashed up his beam rifle. The boy didn't care a lick. The beam cannons in his palms were fully charged. He reached for Adam's cockpit.

Suddenly another injured mobile suit dropped in from above, directly in front of the boy. "That's enough, all of you!" Lunamaria yelled.

"UH!" Shinn gasped. His head pounded. "STOP IT NOW!" He continued his attack, this time with Luna's cockpit as the target.

"AH!" She yelled, realizing he wasn't going to stop.

"LUNA!" Adam yelled. He grabbed her mobile suit by the shoulders and twirled it around, putting him in front of the blast.

"NO! ADAM!" She screamed. "YOU CAN'T!" The boy shut his eyes and prepared for the end.

"Kgh!" A bright green football detonated. Athrun's beam shield intercepted Shinn's hand. "YOU FUCKING IDIOT!" He knocked the younger pilot away and pulled out both his beam sabers, slamming them down.

Destiny quickly raised its hands up to meet them, counteracting with the beam cannons. It didn't help, and the arms were destroyed. In an act of desperation, Shinn attempted a kick, but Athrun's saber leg sliced it up quickly. His foot detonated. "AAAAAHHHH!" The black-haired Coordinator was sent to the moon's surface.

"Shinn!" Luna cried as she dove.

Adam just stood there, unsure of what to do. "Sh…Shinn."

Justice put a hand on Eagle's shoulder. "Come on, Adam. We've still got work to do."

"Un…unh." He nodded, before grabbing the Blast Silhouette and following him.

Mwu was in a race against time, and he was hitting every stoplight along the way. "Kuso! Knock it off already! Why are you all protecting something like this?" Two Gunner ZAKUs cocked their cannons and fired at him. He spread his limbs out and reflected them back where they came.

Minerva fired its first Tristan cannon at Archangel and made contact, its own twin beam cannon on its port side buckling, sending personnel in the immediate vicinity of the explosion to their deaths. Ramius gripped her armrests tightly to keep from being shaken from her seat. "Captain, we've lost Gottfried number 1! Missile launchers have switched to manual!"

"Minerva is preparing for a second volley!"

"Load anti-beam charges, hurry!" She ordered quickly.

"We won't make it! Minerva is firing!" Milly cried, reading her sensors.

"HASHA!" Minerva's Tristan cannon round disbursed around two anti-beam packs.

"Eh?" Ramius and the bridge crew looked around. "Who fired those?"

A young woman smiled. "Drop Mirage Colloid and maneuver us into position between Minerva and Archangel."

"Yes ma'am!"

"Captain!" Burt yelled from his radar station on Minerva. "Another battleship is appearing on sensors next to Archangel. It's…."

"An Archangel!" Both captains gasped as the gray with green trimmed legged ship slid ahead.

"Appolly, signal the Archangel." Fllay sighed in relief, seeing the ship again.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Captain!" Milly yelped. "I'm getting a laser transmission from the new ship, text only! Reading now: Hold your fire. This is the FAID HQ Flagship Gabriel, allies of Adam Cancho and the Eagle. We are here to render assistance."

"C…Cancho… what are we going to do?" Arthur looked back between Gladys and the screen.

"Tch…" The woman hissed. "Shoot through them! Our target is the Archangel. If there's a clone of it, we'll just have to take it out too!"

"H…hai!"

Fllay smiled. "Well now, we should get started. Engines to three quarter attack speed. All missiles, FIRE!" Gabriel launched its missiles from its rear housing.

"Follow their lead!" Ramius said quickly. "Full attack speed! Downpitch 20 degrees!"

The Minerva's CWIS pumped hot lead into the vacuum, detonating the missiles and putting up a smokescreen. The cloud dissipated as two battleships broke through, one upsidedown above, and one aiming up from below. The captains of the respective ships yelled. "Valiant, TEI!" The projectile cannons shot point blank from above and below, rocking the ship violently.

"Both Tristans have been disabled!" Arthur reported as the status came in. Portside launchers have been destroyed, starboard launchers heavily damaged! Captain, we can't take much more!"

Suddenly a mobile suit flew in front of the ZAFT ship and pointed two very large beam cannons at the bridge. "The Blast Silhouette!" Gladys gasped. Adam had no intention of pulling the trigger, but it gave them just enough of a scare and distraction, as Athrun flew in from the side, letting his sublight lifter free. It tore through the engine like it was foam. Adam turned his weapon around and fired it into the Isolde, the explosion sending the Minerva into a forced dive.

"Main thrusters are heavily damaged! I'm losing maneuvering!" Malik grunted as he fought his controls, slamming his feet into the console to get enough leverage to pull back on the stick. The ZAFT goddess of war skidded to a stop on the lunar surface, flames spurting from the oxygen-leaking areas.

"We did it." Fllay sighed.

"Alster-sama. We're receiving a message from Sherridan. He's nearing the rendezvous. Apparently he's injured."

"Break off engagements and head to the set point. We'll need to recover him."

"Roger." The Gabriel banked away, setting a course between Requiem and Messiah.

"ORB mobile suits are nearing Requiem's firing point." The report came into Dullindal's command center.

"Station Two will soon be in position."

"The firing point must be clear of all forces before firing. Neo Genesis, take aim." The Chairman ordered. "Where are Legend and Destiny?"

"Both of them have lost signal!"

"Incoming at Green 18, Beta! Freedom!"

"So Ray was even taken down by that thing?" Dullindal frowned in his silent thought.

A ZAKU was dispatched with as Kira slid next to the Eternal. "Lacus!" She nodded silently, knowing his request before he could say it in words. The METEOR launched.

"Damn it this arm really hurts." Sherridan grunted, gripping his bleeding appendage. His screen beeped. "Oh… there they are. Gabriel, I'm going to start in on my landing run."

"Acknowledged, Alan. We'll have a medical crew in the hangar for you."

"I'll need it."

"Honestly, their lives are so troublesome. Lacus Clyne and Kira Yamato. I guess nothing can be done. I'll have to take care of them all later." The tall man mused as Ray awoke, bleeding from his forehead, where a hole in his helmet glass was. He maneuvered what was left of his mobile suit towards Messiah.

"13 degrees starboard, 8 degrees downpitch. Neo Genesis, firing calibrations complete. Output at 90 percent and climbing."

Dullindal spoke aloud. "After clearing away the space around the firing point, we will destroy ORB and be finished with this battle! Notify all forces!"

"Sir!"

A certain white GOUF received the information. "Eternal!"

"Yzak Joule?" Waltfeld was as surprised as the rest of the pink ship's crew.

"Messiah is about to fire again! Get all your forces out of the firing range, and make it fast!"

Lacus gasped. "No!"

The irradiation energy launched from the reflector dish, sending alarms everywhere into a panic. "Athrun, Murrue-san!"

"Adam!" Meyrin squeaked as she left her post and dove for the window.

"Captain!" Athrun yelled, looking back at Akatsuki.

"Woah!" Mwu just barely slid out of the way.

"Engines to full!" Ramius yelled. "Evade!" The four ORB ships pulled up as fast as possible.

Fllay looked at the monitor as the beam bore down upon her ship. She gasped in fear for a moment, but then smiled. "That's right, this should have been the way. Did I do enough? Adam, I…" The irradiator covered the ship. The bridge caved in, and the people inside were disintegrated. The Gabriel's hull buckled, and blew apart as its systems overloaded.

"UH!" Alan's eyes shot wide open. "No… don't joke around! Fllay… FLLLAAAAAYYYY!"

Two ZAFT vessels were also caught in the destructive wave. "Wha?" Arthur looked up into the monitors. "The Barfest and the Burton have…."

"Gilbert… you actually…" Talia spoke in her head. Ray smiled as he saw the energy dissipate.

"Requiem, countdown initiated. T-minus 30 seconds."

"Station two, secured in position. Geschmeidig Panzer initialized." The Requiem's cover began to screw in.

"Kuso!" Athrun and Mwu raced towards the beam shield covered opening. Justice thrust forward its shield and broke through the beam shield after some resistance. Akatsuki's deflection distorted the defensive measure so it could pass through. Once again, Athrun's lifter shot off, diving straight for the core. Akatsuki's DRAGOONS ejected, firing shots around it. Both pilots steered straight up, as the explosion backlash was hot on their heels. "This is gonna be close!"

Shinn's consciousness floated in the void of space. "Shinn. Shinn." A soft voice called out to him.

His eyes opened slowly. "Stellar?" He looked down at the moon and saw her form coalesce and rise to meet his. She pressed her celestial form against his own, and let out a sad sigh. "What's wrong, Stellar? It's not safe in a place like this."

"It will be fine. So I came to see you just this once." She said as she pushed off from him.

"Just this once? Only just once?"

"Unh… because now is…."

"Now is?"

"Now is tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

"Unh, tomorrow."

"Stellar has had her yesterday. I can tell the difference. I'm happy now."

"Uh?"

"That's why tomorrow is…"

"Stellar…."

"Tomorrow is… tomorrow is…"

The timer went to zero and the nuclear warhead detonated deep in the chambers of Destroy MKII. In a flash of bright light, the last piece of Stellar Loussier's existence was lost forever. Anyone who saw it would have believed that there was a small giggling sound amongst the shockwave.

Justice and Akatsuki reached the surface and tore away as the explosion shot high into space, the remaining energy being of no use to the reflection point. The bright orange flame was visible to all on the lunar surface. "Impossible!" Dullindal gaped.

"Is… is it over?" Adam asked the air, panting heavily. He closed his eyes. "What have I done?" The solid brown was no longer in effect when he opened them again.

Lunamaria gasped as she held Shinn's form in her lap, the dust of the moon not making a comfortable seat. "Ungh…" The boy stirred. "Ste…llar…"

"Shinn? Shinn!"

His eyes opened and slowly began to focus. "Luna?"

"Shinn!" She bent over him, cradling his helmet, tears of relief welling in her eyes.

He turned slightly towards the bright light. "That is…?"

"Requiem. ORB… still exists."

"Hah?" He tensed up in her arms.

Kira rocketed towards the enemy base. His METEOR's giant beam saber swiped through the lightwave projector ring, causing disruption. He followed along its side, digging the saber hard into it, causing miniature explosions all along its surface. The ring slipped off the base like a hula hoop. With the shield down, Freedom and Eternal let loose all of its missiles into the fortress. The highly charged Neo Genesis panel was one of the first hit, and the explosion was massive. Kira slid into the bay and unleashed all of his weapons at once, taking out all the battleships, mobile suits, and controls. The siege sent explosions through the base's command center.

Shinn looked away, tears beginning to flow. He turned around and grabbed the girl tightly. He wailed, his own failure tormenting him, everything he believed in, taken away.

"Captain… Messiah has…" Arthur couldn't finish his statement.

"This ship's operations are over. All hands, abandon ship."

"Ma'am!"

From above, Ramius saluted the downed ship. "Captain Gladys…"

"I hate to leave you like this, but I need you to take command. I'll leave everyone in your hands, Arthur. There is one last place I must go."

"Eh? Uh… hai."

She forced out a sad smile. "You've been a wonderful second in command. Forgive me."

"Cancho…." The man quickly saluted her as she walked away.

The doors opened to what was left of the command center, and Kira stepped out into the rubble. The center chair swiveled around, Dullindal sitting in it, conscious and aware. He stood up as the teen approached. "So you came to a place like this after all… I'll admit I'm surprised." Kira said nothing as he raised a pistol without even blinking an eye. "So that's how it is. But are you sure you want to do that?" He raised his own weapon.

In Messiah's hallway, Ray willed his body forward, bounding on what little gravity was left. Meanwhile, Gladys's shuttle pod steered through the wreckage into the nearest bay.

"It's best if you quit, after how far we've come." Dullindal spoke sincerely. "If you go through with it, you'll do nothing but cast the world into confusion again. You know it's the truth."

"I agree that might happen, but at least we can choose which path can lead to the place in which it doesn't. That is, if we live in a world where there's choices."

"Heh. Nobody will ever choose such a path. They will forget, and same mistakes will be done again. Saying we'll never let it happen again, that the world won't become like that… can anyone really say that?"

"Hu." Kira tensed on the trigger.

"There isn't anyone who can. Neither you, or that girl of yours. No one can know for sure, after all."

Ray pressed his back up against a wall and drew his pistol. "Gil…" He said silently. The tall man noticed it quickly, and let loose a tiny smile.

"But we already established that fact! We know that we can understand each other, and that changes can be made on that basis!"

"Ah?" Ray started at that statement, lowering his pistol.

"That's why we search for our futures! It doesn't matter how hard the journey, but we don't want an existence where we can't make a difference!"

"That's a rather egotistical look to things. Just like the ultimate Coordinator for you."

"The egotistical one here is you! All I am is a single human being! I'm not different from everyone else! Lacus is the same!" As he spoke, Talia's elevator hit the command floor. "But that's the exact reason I need you to die! Because we know that!"

"I wonder though… the world that you want and the world that I'm creating… which would humanity choose? Are you really going to risk having yet another chaotic world on your hands after you kill me? What would you do?"

"I'm prepared for that possibility." His aim got serious. Ray quickly raised his gun again. "I will fight for that world!" BANG!

Eagle landed near the wrecks of Destiny and Impulse. After the hatch opened, Adam jumped out. "Shinn! Lunamaria!" His yellow flight suit landed on the surface and bounded forward towards the two.

Shinn still cried on the girl's shoulder, not taking notice of him. Luna lifted a gun from her emergency kit. "That's as far as you go, Adam."

He halted. "Luna…."

The shot continued to echo throughout the wide area. Kira's eyes trembled. Talia gasped. Dullindal stumbled backwards, a large squirt of blood flowing from his chest as he fell to the floor. Kira looked over his shoulder, at a trembling blonde boy, who slammed himself against the wall and slid to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. "Ray!" Gladys called to him, astonished. Instead of going to him, she ran to the dying Chairman's side. In the lull, a large explosion took out one of the overhead bridges, near where the Minerva's captain first entered.

Dullindal came to and spit out a trickle of blood from his mouth. "Yo, Talia. So you're the one that shot me."

"No, it was Ray."

"Huh?"

"Gil…! Forgive me… please…." He couldn't bear to look at the man. "But that future is…."

"I see now. So you chose to choose."

Another large explosion took out the other bridge, and it slammed down right next to the central chair. "Gladys-cancho!" Kira went forward.

She raised her weapon against him. "You should get going. It was my intention to follow this man's soul wherever it went." Kira just stared at her in disbelief. "Give a message to Ramius-cancho for me. I have a child… a son. I want her to see him someday."

He stood there, thinking, as another explosion rattled the floor. "If that's your wish." He turned to leave.

"Sorry for the trouble, Talia." Dullindal whispered. "But I have to admit I'm happy."

"You're so hopeless. But I guess it really couldn't be helped. I guess this is Destiny, yours and mine."

"Oh stop with that stuff." He chuckled a little.

"Ray, please come here."

Kira jumped into Freedom as the explosions increased in frequency and size. Outside, all eyes were watching Messiah, waiting for him to emerge.

Talia pulled the teenage clone into a tight embrace. "You've done your part well."

"Eh?"

"Everything is fine now."

"Mother…" He said slowly, as he buried his face into her shoulder. With that a large detonation came from below and consumed the three of them. Kira abandoned METEOR and shot from the hangar like a bat out of hell.

Luna and Adam's standoff was interrupted, as Messiah impacted the moon's surface in a ball of smoke and flames, collapsing to the side. As Shinn and Luna watched their hopes burn, a pair of arms wrapped around them both, and joined them in their tears. Luna dropped her weapon and returned the embrace. "No more… just no more…." Adam spoke through his sobs.

Phase 38 Preview: With this, the earth sphere enters a new era, defined by people's choices. But with all things, improvements can be made. As we return to this battle once again, many things will be the same, but many things will also change, and one more will sacrifice everything for the sake of ORB. Next time on Old Friends Anew: To Choose Your Future. Now is your chance. Use everything you've learned, Eagle!


	38. Old Friends Anew Ch 38

Old Friends Anew 38

Phase-38: To Choose Your Future

The battle had just turned from ugly to nightmarish. The ZAFT fortress Messiah had entered the battle, its orbital ring spreading forth a lightwave barrier around it, as Archangel and Eternal dove forward into the explosions.

Kira slammed the butt of one of his rifles into the other, and launched all of his DRAGOONs into the night sky. Ray spread his beam shields, taking the blow as his own spikes shot off his backpack.

Mwu became encircled by GOUFs and ZAKUs. Akatsuki spread its body out and reflected their beams back at them, while his own DRAGOON pack cleaned up the rest.

Adam clawed through two GuAIZ as his pods cleared him a path. Eagle transformed back to mobile suit as he deflected Minerva's Tristan blast.

Athrun pulled his double-edged beam saber behind him as his shield pointed forward, launching the grappling arm at Destiny. Shinn barrel rolled around it, swooping in from the side to go hand-to-hand, clashing in the vacuum.

Minerva sent missiles flying from its starboard side. Adam's Eagle swooped in as a mobile armor and shot them down with the beams in its feet. "Like I'll let you!" Four more came in from the port side, going over his head. "Shit!" Archangel's CWIS started pumping shrapnel into the vacuum, catching the missiles before they could hit. Neuman banked slightly before a Tristan shot through the explosion, just over the starboard side.

"HeeeaaAAAHHH!" Shinn yelled as he yanked out his boomerangs and sent them hurtling towards Freedom. Kira just ducked under them, combining his beam rifles again, sending the thick blast straight into Destiny's shield.

"Kgh!" Ray hissed as all his DRAGOONs finished recharging and shot off again in a random pattern.

"Ah!" Kira gasped as a shock of pressure reached his brain, he looked behind him just as Legend's weapons fired. He dodged two as he spun, raising his beam shields.

"Keh! Aaye!" All three of Justice's beam weapons fired at Legend, which slid away with only inches to spare. Ray's target then became Athrun, as they both raised their shields.

Mobile suits of all types launched from the fortress. "Eternal is our main target. That's their flagship. The others are secondary." Dullindal ordered from his chair.

"Sir."

"Tell Gondwana not to let any more ORB forces to get through."

"Aye, sir."

Meyrin reacted as soon as her screen started beeping. "ZAFT mobile suits on intercept. Number: 20. Green 18, Bravo."

Lacus lowered her brow as Watfeld relayed orders. "Starboard 10 degrees. Uptrim 5. Aim the main cannon! Make sure they don't make it through!"

As Eternal banked away and fired, Archangel took its position letting Gottfried blasts erupt. "Eternal needs cover."

"Understood."

"Korinthos, TEI!" The rear launchers smoked as the rockets ignited. As they detonated in mid-space, half the mobile suits were cut off.

Three that made it were dispatched by Akatsuki's pods. "Oi, oi! This is a bad situation!"

Adam rocketed past him amputating a ZAKUs arm that was trying to throw a grenade. His gunbarrels took to the sides, destroying the suit, as his core cannon rent a GOUF. "Don't say it like I don't know it! Damn it! The fortress in front, Requiem behind! It's just too much!"

Shinn and Kira exchanged rifle fire as they circled around each other. To break the loop Kira pulled straight back as Shinn fired a double blast. Athrun raised his shield as Ray aimed his rifle for the cockpit. Freedom cut in, forcing him to back off. "Someone report on the situation of the ORB Fleet and Requiem!" Athrun yelled into his comm. system.

Milliaria answered his call. "Kusano, Kusanagi, and Tsukumiya all are confirmed signals. The rest are negative. Situation in shambles!"

The Gondwana moved forward, launching two more squads from its launch bays. "Red 18, Alpha. Gondwana." Meyrin's eyes raced across her data screens. "Mobile suits are vectoring in on the ORB Fleet."

"Damn it!" Waltfeld swore.

Missiles and beam particles tore through space as the ZAFT suits closed in on the combination of the remaining EAF and ORB mobile suits. "We won't let you!"

"You won't get any more of us!" Two ORB pilots grunted. They rolled away from a GOUF's attack and returned fire, splitting it in two directions.

"Did you say towards the ORB fleet, Meyrin?" Kira's eyes widened.

Athrun spread the reflector on his shield as one of Legend's DRAGOONs fired a shot at him. He flipped around quickly, catching another on the return, before following up with a rifle blast that missed. "We totally fell for their trap. This is bad, Kira. If this keeps up, Requiem will…" He rolled out of the way as Ray attacked head on with a beam rifle.

"Tch." The blonde hissed.

"HeeeYYY!" Shinn snarled as he spread Destiny's wings, and dove forward, firing his rifle at Freedom, forcing him to retreat. Athrun's boomerang dove for Shinn's cockpit, which he batted away quickly with his shield, and Justice became a battering ram. "Tch! Why does he keep doing that?" He grunted as they ricocheted off of each other.

"If we don't destroy it right now, the relay point will be restored again! This will all be for nothing!"

"Station two, currently away from position: 160. Neo Genesis, power charge at 40 percent." The second deflection colony for Requiem was slowly advancing through the debris of the first one.

"TEEEIII!" Shinn snarled as he pulled out his boomerang and slammed it against Athrun's shield like a beam saber.

"ORB will be obliterated!" Destiny quickly pulled back as Justice's beam saber took a swipe at him.

Kira raised his arm just in time as Legend came in from the rear, the armor nearly getting damaged from the heat. "Uh!" He grunted as he turned towards his lower monitor, observing the two battleships.

Adam pulled out his first Saberbarrel program and spun it like a propeller, stopping a missile barrage from hitting his beloved's ship. A ZAKU sidled up behind him, as another came in head on. Eagle flipped the saber backwards and plunged it into the enemy suit without even looking, then spun it forward, slicing the other pilot into pieces.

"Impulse approaching with the next wing of ZAKUs!" Milly yelled.

Meyrin's chest tightened. "Onee-chan!"

"Impulse? But that means…!" Adam turned around to face the approaching mob. From above, a red and gray ship shot its beam weaponry forward. "Minerva! Milly, Meyrin, 5 o'clock high, do you have a lock?"

"Neidhardt, TEI!" Arthur yelled into his earpiece. The starboard launchers sent out their payloads.

"Evade! Gegeki!" Ramius yelled. Archangel's anti-missile missiles picked their targets as Eternal and the legged ship banked away from the explosions to their rear. Two more made it through the screen, something that the CWIS needed to take care of at close range.

Valiant bolts fired to the rear. Malik cranked the wheel hard, lifting the Minerva's wing to evade the attack, but the first clipped the ship. The DOM Troopers rose from Eternal. "Tch!" Hilda clucked. "They're persistent bastards, aren't they?"

"Ah."

"That's an understatement." They fired at once into the batch of Impulse's wingmen. The enemy divided into three parts, and a lone suit was picked off, before the other four ZAKUs could react.

Luna hit the booster and got away as her wingmen were destroyed. "What's with them? Again and again!"

Legend split the standoff between Destiny and Justice, once again pushing Athrun away with his rifle shots. "Tch!" Athrun clicked. "At this rate, we won't even have room to maneuver!"

Kira pulled out both his beam sabers, as Shinn's anti-ship blade was out, and dove forward. Destiny went high, even as Kira stayed silent. Grenades and missiles all focused on his lover's ship, sending it into a quaking tremble. He quickly yelled out on his comm. "Athrun, get going! Archangel as well!"

"Eh? Kira!"

"Kira-kun?" Murrue raised her head as well.

"We'll take care of this fortress, Eternal and myself! Everyone else head straight for Requiem!"

"HeeeYYY!" Shinn snarled as he spread Destiny's wings, and dove forward. "I took you down once, I'll do it again!" Strike Freedom's wings spread out, launching all his DRAGOON pods into the air, the internal thrusters giving him eight lighted wings in the darkness. The pods began firing in different directions. Destiny pulled high, dodging the front shot, making full use of his Mirage Colloid afterimages. He saw one he couldn't dodge and spread the reflector on his wrist. Kira came in point blank and shot both his railguns and rifles into the shield. "Gaaahhh!" The mix of the two types of weapons caused an explosion that sent Destiny flying.

"Um… This is a direct order!" Kira said after some hesitation.

"EH?" DaCosta's jaw dropped.

Akatsuki shot down the mobile suits in his area. "There's a phrase I never thought I'd hear him say."

"But if we do that, then Eternal will be defenseless!" Murrue pointed out.

"At this moment, ORB is much more important than this ship." Lacus stated quickly. "ORB must survive if we are to bastion the plan." The METEORs fired all of their beam weapons as the pink flagship rolled. ZAKU Phantoms shot their shoulder-housed missiles into the heavens. They were too much to counter alone. The golden Akatsuki sent all of its pods around the ship and spread a lightwave barrier to counteract the measure. "It must survive no matter what sacrifices we must make. That's the reason we are in this fight." The DOM Troopers were in another Jet Stream Attack, destroying three enemy mobile suits simultaneously with their different weapons of choice.

"So what's it gonna be, Yzak?" Dearka looked at his white metal behind.

"Fuck it! We'll give the Eternal cover!"

"Wha?"

"Did you forget that's still a ZAFT ship? Let's go, Dearka, Shiho!"

"So please, do as he says, Athrun, Ramius-cancho." Lacus whispered. "You must hurry."

"Understood." Athrun winced.

"But we will meet again later, make sure of it." The Archangel's captain stared into the screen.

"Of course." The transmission was broken.

Andrew stood up. "DaCosta, take over. We've still got one more mobile suit that we haven't sortied."

"Wha?" The younger man stood as well.

"Waltfeld-san, you can't mean…!" Lacus gasped as she put her hand to her mouth.

"We need everything we've got out there right now… don't we?" He smiled.

"But you're needed here!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Lacus. You've got DaCosta. I can't teach him much more than I already have."

"Then I'll sortie in Gaia!" The red-haired man jumped in.

"Don't be an idiot. You'd get killed the moment you stepped on the flight deck. You're in charge of Eternal now. Don't screw it up!" He kicked off and floated into the elevator.

"Daicho…" DaCosta saluted as the doors closed and then slammed himself into the chair. "Mmm… still warm. Launch Deck, prep Gaia for immediate launch!"

Archangel banked away hard, with Athrun in tow. Adam spread his fall-season colored wings as his pods shot off. The gunbarrells tore through two ZAKUs, and a GOUF that had its melee weapon out clashed with a saberbarrel, only to be cut down the center with the other. "Uh? Hey, don't leave without telling me!" He went in pursuit of the Archangel.

"Andrew Waltfeld, Gaia II, taking off!" His reddish-orange Gundam bounded out of the hatch in BaCOE mode, hitting his booster and launching himself towards the Archangel.

Legend's sensors picked up the movement. "Like I'll let you! What the hell is Minerva doing?" He thrust forward just as Freedom let loose its DRAGOONs again. A flash of pressure ran through his brain. "Uh!" He did a barrel roll away from the incoming intertwining beams, raising his shield to deflect one.

"Ray!" Shinn cried. "Damn you, Freedom!" He let loose two rifle blasts at the nuclear suit, deflected away by his energy shield. He put it behind his back and dove forward, ready to switch to any weapon he needed.

Kira's seed broke as he backed away, his eyes covering with a solid shade of purple. Destiny pulled out its cannon and let loose a red and blue beam. Freedom spread its limbs and discharged a core cannon shot. They cancelled each other out as they intercepted each other. Legend came from above, firing all its backpack's beams at the suit. Kira did a backflip out of the attack's path. "Shinn, cover the Minerva and go after Athrun and Archangel!" He tried the same tactic again, but Kira saw the movement and slid away before it let loose.

"Eh?"

"Freedom… is all mine!"

"Ray…. You're…."

"Yours is Justice. Make sure he never comes back this time! Let's end it all this time! That's your job. End it all… including your past!"

"Ah, I got it!" Destiny streamlined and turned all engines to full.

Freedom caught the movement on its sensors, and Kira was about to go after him until a shock of pressure touched his brain. He launched upward just in time, as six different beams attempted to catch him in crossfire. Rolling and twisting wasn't enough as the beam spikes took a perfect shot against him. He spread both his hands' shields to block it. "This feeling is… what is going on here? Who are you?"

A wing of ZAKUs was in Athrun's way. "Kgh!" He yanked out his beam saber and slid between two, beheading them. Gaia pounced upon the remains and kicked off, spreading his wingsabers and slicing up another target. Adam came in from above and attacked two more with his Pedima beams.

"Hit him!" Ray yelled as his DRAGOONs cut loose, forcing Kira to raise shields and back away. "That's right, bring it to an end." He pulled out a beam saber from his hip housing. "This time everything will for sure!" Kira reciprocated as they clashed, shield and sword.

The DOMs slid back and forth, taking out the enemies around Minerva. "Go around to their flank!" DaCosta ordered. "It doesn't matter how big a gun they have if they can't shoot us with it!"

Lacus's eyes widened as she put a hand to her ear. "Kira!"

DRAGOON beams in the sky were endless. Crisscrossing, deflecting, the entire sector was polluted in them. Both pilots were straining to evade everything. A DOM shot its bazooka into a Slash Warrior's shield, sending it out of the way of the cockpit, unto which a beam rifle blast vaporized the pilot. "Hey now, hey now! You'd better back off, plebes!"

"Yadday yadday, we sure are busy around here, aren't we?"

"There's just no end to these guys!"

"EH! Just knock this shit off already!" Yzak grunted as he backed away, firing his gattling cannon at missiles on a direct course with Eternal. Dearka and Shiho continued firing their weapons at their former comrades. "Freedom… what the hell is he doing?"

"What's this? You want his help?" Dearka teased.

"Totally wrong, you fucking idiot!"

The ORB Izumo classes were under attack by an equal number of Nazca class cruisers as they raced towards Requiem. Gaia landed on the moon's surface and bounded forward as Justice, Akatsuki, and Eagle skimmed, raising their beam rifles towards the enemy regiments. "Looks like we've got a lot of them here." Mwu grumbled as all his pods released, letting loose simultaneous beam attacks, each one piercing a mobile suit. "Well… numbers don't mean shit without skills!"

"Gottfried, TEI!" Ramius ordered, and the attack tore through a Nazca class with ease.

Colonel Soga appeared on the line. "Captain Ramius?"

"We'll break through the shield on Requiem. We're out of time. Get our lines reorganized quickly!"

Milly caught a dangerous radar contact. "Minerva approaching on vector Blue Alpha. Distance: 16!"

"Eh?"

"Incoming missiles! Number: 12!"

Mwu finished dispatching another suit. "Tch!" He tried to make it towards his lover's ship.

Shrapnel kept the missiles from doing damage, but the shockwave shook them up, as Minerva cut another beam through the smoke, over their port bow. "Gottfried, take aim! FIRE!"

"Gah!" The Minerva's bridge crew cried as the shot skimmed their belly. "Isolde, TEI!" The projectile cannons shot their payloads just short of the ashitsuki.

"EEEH!" Luna yelled as she fired her rifle twice, piercing two Murasame's without a second thought. Then a purple mobile suit came into view. "Justice? Athrun?"

"Impulse? Lunamaria's in there?" Athrun blinked as they circled each other.

"Athrun… why…."

"_No Onee-chan! STOP!"_

"_Why are you fighting like this? Why are you fighting me? Why can't you see the signs I did, Onee-chan? The Lacus-sama you knew was the fake!"_

Luna gripped her controls tighter as she remembered her sister's scream. "But you took Meyrin from me!" She pointed her rifle in his direction. "Why'd you do that to my sister?" She let loose a shot.

Athrun spread his beam shield. "Tch! Knock it off, Lunamaria! Why you too?" He took off at full burn.

"Don't run from me!" She pulled out her beam saber and swiped it forward and back.

"Kuso!"

"DAICHO!"

"Eh?" Athrun went wide eyed.

A saberbarrel clashed against Impulse's beam saber, and Eagle shouldercharged the ZAFT suit. "Aaaghh!" Luna squeaked as she was shaken.

"Daicho, get the hell out of here! You've got a job to do!" Adam grunted as he grappled with the suit in front of him.

"Damn it! Let go of me!" Impulse took a swift kick to Eagle's crotch, causing Adam to lose the grip as he backed away. "Don't get in my way!" She aimed up at Justice again and fired.

Adam opened up his beam shield and slid in between. "Lunamaria, your opponent is me!" He activated his first saberbarrel program and clashed sword on sword with her. "Stop fighting, Luna! Nothing good will come of this!"

"Who are you to tell me what to do?" Luna fired the vulcans in her chest. The attack just bounced off Adam's phase shift armor, but made him back away. "Even if you are Adam… you're nothing but a traitor!"

"What are you saying, Lunamaria? We're supposed to be friends!"

"My friend, Adam Cancho, died when Falcon exploded. Anything left of him that you are isn't any comrade of mine!" She charged forward with both sabers drawn. Adam raised his shield and swords up to block, as she slammed him at full force. "You took her away. You took Meyrin away and caused nothing but suffering to her!"

"Eh?" He looked up at the video screen in shock.

"I want my sister back!" She cried out in anguish. "She was crying on the Eternal! She was crying out desperately! And who put her there? You and Athrun!"

"You're wrong, Luna!" Eagle launched its gunbarrels.

"Agh!" She noticed them and broke off her attack, sliding back before the weapons discharged.

"Meyrin chose to go on the Eternal with Lacus! She chose to stay with us, even though we gave her every opportunity to return to PLANT! She wants to make a world where you can be happy!" As Adam spoke he was rapidly typing on his keyboard. "She wants to end the fighting. She was crying because she doesn't want to see you like this. I don't want to do this either, Luna!" Adam's saberbarrels latched onto his wrists and spread their energy on either side of his hand.

"Then surrender, and give her back!" She raised her beam saber over her head, "ADAM!"

"Kuso! Luna!" Adam went forward in the same position.

"HAAAHH!" A purple mobile suit came from below and slashed off her beam saber arm.

"Daicho?"

"Back off Lunamaria! We have no reason to shoot you down!"

You little…!" She snarled as she fired off Impulse's chest vulcans. "Minerva! Abby! Launch every flyer, you hear me? Every single one! No, more than that! Combine all the Silhouettes with the Cones too!"

"Eh?" Talia's eyes went wide.

"I don't care about the combination, just do it!"

"Cancho…" Abby looked to her.

"Give her what she wants. I'll leave it to you, Abby."

"Ma'am!"

Athrun backed up and engaged the boomerang housed in his shield. He chucked it at the white and blue MS. She thought it was going to attack her torso, but it caught her leg. "Gaaahhh!"

"Luna!"

She sat up with a relieved smile on her face. "Shinn!"

"You shouldn't have done that, you traitor!" Shinn swooped in, enraged. His beam cannon fired as fast as possible, and Athrun just barely had time to raise his arm, else it would have been taken off.

"Shinn!"

"You okay, Luna?"

"Shinn!"

"Go ahead, I'll cover you while you hook up!" He pulled out his big blade and spread his wings. "You fucking piece of…!" Athrun whipped out his double ended beam saber. Shinn swooped down and Athrun ducked underneath. They both turned around and clashed, sparks flying from both weapons. "How could you… You'll pay for hurting Luna!" His eyes turned a solid red as his seed broke. His engines went to full burn, pushing Athrun back towards the moon's surface.

"Shinn!" Luna could only watch as she slowly separated from her three flyers, awaiting connection with the others.

"Daicho!" Adam dove after them as fast as he could.

"Station two, position in 100. Neo Genesis, power charge at 60 percent."

"Haven't either of those battleships been sunk yet? Eternal or Archangel?" Dullindal snarled.

"Correct! No reports of destruction as of yet."

"Purple One through Green Two, Orange Alarm announced."

"Sierra, X-Ray, November…"

"Sebasitor squadron is on standby, we still haven't recovered the stabilizer link."

All of this chatter fell deaf on Dullindal's ears. "But I have to admit it's incredible…"

"Heh… what is?" A voice answered him, as his old comrade Rau le Cruset, a creation of his own memory, appeared next to him.

"The fights…. The battles…. The wars…. People sure do love to fight, don't they?"

"Ha… and you're different because?"

Dullindal smiled a little. "All I want to do is win. But the fighting I don't necessarily like."

"But you know, there are things you can't win."

He thought back to the day he said goodbye to Gladys. "Ah… I lost that day. Sometimes you can't win, even when you fight, an unobtainable victory. Then why is it that people fight to live, even when death is inevitable? Why are they even born?"

"Heh heh heh heh." The transparent Rau laughed. "Didn't I say it before? They exist just to find out that reason. Though you probably don't like that answer."

"Ah. I despise it. I'll pass on that, sorry. I don't want to be in eternal struggle, like you, or to lose like you."

Both DRAGOON equipped superpowers launched their pods into the emptiness of space. Kira raised his shields as the enemy fired, dodging as many as he could, whirling around and catching one with his beam rifle, detonating it. "Why is it like this? Why is this style…?"

"Eh!" Ray grunted, firing all his pods simultaneously. Kira once again rolled away.

A loud clang rang through Legend and Freedom as their swords locked against each other. Kira was in the better position and swiped his saber across, forcing Ray to back off for a more favorable stance. "Who is it? Who the hell is it?"

"Kgh!" Ray hissed.

"I know you!"

"You've already figured it out, haven't you? My name is Rau le Cruset!"

"Rau… le… Cruset?" Kira's eyes quaked in disbelief.

"Mankind's dreams… mankind's futures… and the so called wonderful product of that: Kira Yamato!" Kira was too stunned to do more dodging as all beams turned on him at once. He could only spread his shield and take it all, forcing him back. "Since that's so, you too, must be ended, along with the rest of us!"

Lacus's head shot up. Her eyes weren't a solid shade of blue as per her normal, but a fade from black to white. "Kira! I hear your cry! What is it?"

"For this world that will be reborn!"

"Stop it!" Kira yelled as he fired off his core cannon. It met Legend's beam shield and exploded harmlessly.

"_Say, where's Rau?" A slightly younger Ray asked Dullindal._

"_Rau is no longer with us I'm afraid." He replied. _

"_Eh? How come?"_

"_But, you're also Rau."_

"_Huh?" Dullindal held out a box of blue and white pills._

"_That's what your destiny is."_

"What is this? Why are you showing me this?" Kira gasped as the images ran through his brain. "Rau le Crueset? How? How are you in my head again?" Kira wasn't even fighting back at this point. He could only defend, sensing the presence of the enemy he thought he killed long ago.

The captain of the infiltration team inside Destroy MKII wiped his brow after he initiated the timer on the nuke. "Okay everyone, pack up your trash."

"With this, this monstrosity will be destroyed right?"

"I sure hope so. We've put it in as close as we can to the generators. So we can only wait, now."

"Don't worry it will work." A soft voice spoke. "Thank you."

"Thanks for your vote of confidence miss. Uh what?" The men pulled out their weapons and looked around. There was nothing to be seen. "Okay, creepy."

"Y…yeah, let's go home, Commander."

Alan Sherridan looked at the small disk on his instrument panel. "A part of her soul huh?"

"_Eh? You're going to copy a part of yourself onto a disk?" He asked the blonde girl on the screen._

"_Unh." She smiled. "Stellar's last wish. Find Shinn, and load Stellar. To see him, one last time."_

"_A disk is a really limited amount of space though. Whatever you put on it will start to degrade the moment it loads. At best you'll have one minute before it… you… are deleted. Are you really okay with that?"_

"_Unh. So please… live on, for Stellar, and for Shinn."_

"The last piece of an innocent girl's soul… put into this one single disk…." He let a tear run down his face. "It's disgusting."

"HhhaaaAAAHH!" Both Shinn and Athrun cried simultaneously. Their alarms beeped like mad. "Uh?" A red and blue beam tore between them.

"Knock it off!" Adam yelled as he swooped in from above in mobile armor form, claws stretched out. "Shinn! Shinn, just stop, please!"

"Wh…who are you?" He looked at the screen above him.

"God dammit!" Adam tore off his helmet and looked straight into the camera. "It's me, Shinn!"

"Adam? No way… it can't..." Shinn's eyes cleared.

"Shinn, please, enough of this. Put down your sword."

"It really was you, back then."

"Yes, it was me. Now do you see? I'm alive, I'm still here, and I'm still your friend. I don't want this to go on."

"Ah, neither do I, Adam." He pulled out his beam rifle and aimed it at the suit in front of him, keeping his blade at his side. "So power down your weapons and surrender. You're under arrest for obstruction of justice back at ORB."

"Eh?"

"Adam, get away from him, you're too close!" Athrun yelled.

"You attacked ZAFT mobile suits in an attempt to defend the enemy of the free world, Lord Djibril. For that I can't let you go. I'm sorry Adam."

"Shinn… you…." Adam closed his eyes and let out a sob.

"Uh?" Athrun straightened in surprise.

"Adam, you're…."

The boy lifted his head, tears streaming down his face. "So this is how it is, huh? It's always this way. No matter who I fight for, I'm always up against someone or something I care for. Where did everything go wrong? Why is it always like this?"

"Adam, you know you can stop this, just…."

"Damn it, Shinn, just shut up! Don't you know what this means? You of all people! Shinn, don't make me do this! I'm going to have to shoot you down! AGGHH!" A brown object slid in front of his eyes and exploded. "CHIKSHOU!" He dove forward, engaging the sabers on his claws.

"Agh!" Shinn yelped as he brought his blade back up. "Damn you, Adam!" Their attacks clanged against each other as each hit slid off the other's weapon.

"Shinn!" Luna cried, her new Force pack fully charged. "Get away from him!" She fired a blast in between them and swung her beam saber at Eagle.

Adam banked away hard and switched to mobile suit to avoid the hit. "Tch!" He thrustered away.

"Don't run from me, you coward!" Luna went after him.

"Luna, don't! He's too much for you!" Shinn yelled, preparing to pursue as well.

"Shinn Asuka!"

"Hah?" Justice twirled its beam saber upwards hard, slashing the beam blade in two. Shinn let out a stunned gasp.

"I'm sorry Shinn, but your fight is going to be with me." Athrun tightened his grip on his controls.

"It can't be!" Kira and Ray twirled around each other while dodging each others' DRAGOON blasts. "How could you be? How could you be here again?"

"_Something you can't escape from, that's yourself." Dullindal told a young Ray._

"_And something you can't take back, that's your past!" _Ray's voice echoed. _"That's why I'll end everything! They'll all return to the way they should be! _Humanity… _and the Earth!"_

As Eternal's attack rippled against Messiah's beam shield, Hilda attempted to shoot down a wave of missiles. A ZAKU's beam rifle ripped through her DOM's leg before it got sniped. "Gah!"

"Hilda!"

As Dearka fired down, a return shot caught him in the shoulder. "GYAH!"

"Dearka-san!" Shiho yelled, ripping the attacker apart with her beam axe.

Lacus stood up. "Kira, no! You can't give into him!"

"Eh? Lacus-sama?" DaCosta and Meyrin looked at her in surprise as she balled her fists.

"Lacus…" The violet-eyed pilot whispered to himself.

"Don't let his existence fool you. You can't let him get to you when you know he's wrong! We have already learned how precious a life is! Teach him that! Kira!"

"Lacus-san… we don't have a channel open to Kira." Meyrin looked to her screen and back.

"_Teach me?"_ Ray's voice echoed in their heads. _"What could you possibly teach me that I don't already know?" _ All of his beams crisscrossed at once, forcing Kira to spread his beam shields on both sides of him, and activating his core cannon to deflect the ones from the front. _"You, Kira Yamato, the Ultimate Coordinator that should never have been!"_

"Ah!" Kira's eyes opened wide.

"_You, Lacus Clyne, the one bred specifically as a mate for the Ultimate Coordinator!"_

Lacus's legs wobbled as the words were spoken.

"_And I, the existence that shall live on in each and every clone!"_ Ray pulled out his beam saber. _"What could you ever teach me?"_

"How dare you say such a thing to Lacus!" Kira pulled out both his beam sabers and charged.

"_Kira, stop!"_ Lacus's voice rang in his ear as she put her hand to her chest. "It may be true that I was made to be yours, Kira. But I chose to love you! And nothing changes that fact!"

"Lacus…-san…" Meyrin stared at her in amazement.

"_We have no right to live!"_ Ray snarled. _"This new world order will have no place for us! Therefore, I will destroy you both with me, so people like us will never be made again!"_

"You're wrong!" Kira yelled as he fired both his beam rifles, taking out two of Ray's pods.

"Ungh!" Ray grunted in mental strain as he took control of four more, sending them into the fray.

"We can live because we deviated from our set path! Kira and myself, and also you…" Lacus searched through his mind. "Ray za Burrel."

"EH?" Meyrin jumped out of her seat. "You can't be serious!"

"Wrong! I am Rau le Cruset!"

Freedom backed away and shot out two on opposite sides, and he did it again for the last ones. "Only one life exists per person! Rau la Cruset lived his own life! Your life is your own, it's not his! Ray za Burrel!"

"There is no reason to destroy us, when there's every reason to live alongside us, with your own life!"

"Ahhhh…" His breath caught in his throat in total surprise. Kira knew this was his only chance. He let loose everything in his arsenal at once with pinpoint accuracy into the subsystems of the mobile suit in front of him. "GUUUAAAAHHH!" The blonde clone cried as systems exploded around him.

Destiny pulled out both its boomerangs and hurled them at Justice. Athrun batted one away with its shield, and did a backflip kick to counter the other with the saber in his leg.

Adam spun away from Luna as she took two swipes with her beam saber. "Lunamaria…. Am I going to have to take you down too?"

"You won't. I'm different than I was before! And I'll take you down to prove it!" She fired a rifle shot at him, which he quickly batted away with his shield.

"I see. I'm sorry then." He brought out saberbarrel program 1 out, creating a double sided trident saber. He reciprocated her attack with a beam shot from one of his gunbarrels. She lifted up her arm and it slid under her, not even leaving a scorch mark. "Eh?"

"YOU FOOL!" Luna dove forward at top speed. "You're not going to win like that!"

"I don't want to kill you, Lunamaria!"

"Then die in my place! I'll show you what Shinn taught me!" Luna yelled as she went for Adam. She tossed her shield directly at him and fired a rifle blast into it. The deflection angle forced it to bite into his shoulder shield armor.

"Tch! That's a nice trick!" He switched the beam saber to his good hand. "But not nice enough!" He targeted Impulse's legs and took a long swipe.

"Heh!" She uncoupled from the leg flyer, the beam passing neatly between as he slid through. The torso whirled around and fired a shot.

"Gah!" The explosion took out his right-hand gunbarrel. "Luna!" He whirled around, rifle at the ready.

"Adam!" She came down upon him beam saber blazing. He pulled backwards as he sent his closest saberbarrel up behind her, slicing off her Force Silhouette. As the backpack detonated, the force blew her forward, her beam saber slicing up his beam rifle.

"You're not going to win this, Lunamaria! Back down! You don't even have another Force Silhouette!"

"It doesn't matter!" She rocketed straight up as she ejected the last scrap of the pack.

"Luna, I… what?" His eyes went wide as he looked up. Two halves of a nose cone slammed onto Impulse's shoulders, and magnetically sealed themselves. A cable extended to connect the two halves and a long nozzle extended from the left-hand side. "A…Asteroid…."

"With this you're finished!" Luna gripped the weapon with both hands.

A wing of Murasame took a run at the Requiem barrel, launching missiles at close range, passed the anti-aircraft guns. No damage. Amagi yelled aboard the Kusanagi. "Lohengrin, TEI!" Twelve positron beams unleashed their fury at the structure, but not even that could punch a hole in the beam shield installed.

The Minerva swooped in behind the Archangel, both attempting to counter each other's missiles with CWIS bullets. "Athrun-kun… where is he?"

"No good! There's too much interference to lock onto his signal!" Milly answered.

"What about Adam-kun?"

"I lost him about the same time!"

A video transmission popped up on the monitor. "I'll take that up!"

"Mwu!" Captain Ramius's eyes began to quiver with worry.

"Mind if I join you?" A one eyed man came up on a second screen.

"Andrew!"

"The more the merrier. We'll rendezvous at the base! One wing of Murasame, form up on me!" He ordered as he turned tail.

"You've got it!" The galloping Gaia fired its cannons through a few GaZOOTs that were in his way.

Adam switched his remaining gunbarrel into a blaster quickly, before Luna sent the powerful beam hurtling his way. "HEEEAAAHHH!!" He raised his positron shield to the sky, splitting the energy into different directions. He burst forward, rifle at the ready, as Impulse backed off and shot off missiles from the right hatch. Eagle's head machine guns detonated them before they got too close.

From the smoke burst Luna, riding on top of the Sword Flyer pulling out the boomerangs, holding them like knives in front of her. "GyyyaaaahhH!" Adam's Saberbarrel Program 3 activated, locking his weapons onto his wrists. They spread forward and the two of them clashed, the momentum pushing them between Athrun and Shinn's battle.

"Adam!" Athrun yelled as he turned to follow, but two beam boomerangs vectored in on him, which he had to kick away with the sabers in his legs.

"Luna, Excalibur!"

"Unh!" She maneuvered the mobile weapon above him, and ejected one of the beam swords.

Shinn caught it with one hand, and engaged it, clashing sword on sword with Athrun once again. "I'll make sure you never come back, traitor!"

"You bitch! Eat this!" Adam snarled as his core cannon charged up for a point-blank range assault.

"Agh!" She jumped off her ride in a hurry.

Eagle aimed the cannon down, and pierced the flyer with its energy. "Gwaah!" The explosion sent Adam flying. He whirled around and fired another core shot as Impulse picked up the second Excalibur and thrust it forward at full speed, ripping apart her opponent's beam.

She closed in on the boy and slammed the end of her long weapon into his shield. "DIE!"

Mwu was in a race against time, and he was hitting every stoplight along the way. "Kuso! Knock it off already! Why are you all protecting something like this?" Two Gunner ZAKUs cocked their cannons and fired at him. He spread his limbs out and reflected them back where they came.

"Eh!" One of the Murasame squad grunted.

"Keep them from destroying ORB!" Their synchronized firing took out three GOUFs in short order.

Minerva fired its first Tristan cannon at Archangel and made contact, its own twin beam cannon on its port side buckling, sending personnel in the immediate vicinity of the explosion to their deaths. Ramius gripped her armrests tightly to keep from being shaken from her seat. "Captain, we've lost Gottfried number 1! Missile launchers have switched to manual!"

"Minerva is preparing for a second volley!"

"Load anti-beam charges, hurry!" She ordered quickly.

"We won't make it! Minerva is firing!" Milly cried, reading her sensors.

"HASHA!" Minerva's Tristan cannon round disbursed around two anti-beam packs.

"Eh?" Ramius and the bridge crew looked around. "Who fired those?"

A young woman smiled. "Drop Mirage Colloid and maneuver us into position between Minerva and Archangel."

"Yes ma'am!"

"Captain!" Burt yelled from his radar station on Minerva. "Another battleship is appearing on sensors next to Archangel. It's…."

"An Archangel?!" Both captains gasped as the gray with green trimmed legged ship slid ahead.

"Appolly, open a channel to the Archangel." Fllay sighed in relief, seeing the ship again.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Milly… I know you recognize this voice." Fllay spoke into the girl's earpiece. "Put me on screen, please." The girl began gasping for air, and shaking like a leaf.

"Miriallia-san?" Ramius heard her squeak and turned to her.

"C…Captain… I think… it's for you…."

She pressed a button and the video window opened up. "This is FAID HQ Flagship Gabriel."

Murrue shot out of her chair in astonishment. "That can't be!"

"We are allies of Adam Cancho and the Eagle. We are here to render assistance. Please do not fire upon our ship. I repeat…."

"Fllay… Fllay Alster…" Milly whispered as tears ran down her cheeks.

"Fllay Alster, you're alive? When… how…?" Murrue stumbled for words.

The girl just closed her eyes and shook her head. "The Alster family doesn't exist anymore. I'm merely Fllay, Captain of the Gabriel. Although, it is good to see you all again."

"Uso… no way…." Milly hugged her shoulders.

"Miriallia Haww." The girl raised her head to the screen. "I'm sorry, Milly. I knew this would be the hard on you. I'm sorry to say, but Tolle isn't here. I'm not here to give you false hope. Please understand that."

The sandy-brunette's head sagged for a moment, but she quickly wiped off her tears and returned to her duties. "Unh!"

"Then in that case, let's get to work! Archangel, please coordinate your attacks with Gabriel!" The connection cut out, as the captain fell back into her chair.

"C…Cancho… what are we going to do?" Arthur looked back between Gladys and the screen.

"Tch…" The woman hissed. "Shoot through them! Our target is the Archangel. If there's a clone of it, we'll just have to take it out too!"

"H…hai!"

Fllay smiled. "Well now, we should get started. Engines to three quarter attack speed. All missiles, FIRE!" Gabriel launched its missiles from its rear housing.

"Captain!" Neuman yelled.

"Eh?" Ramius's attention returned to the battle. "Follow their lead! Full attack speed! Downpitch 20 degrees!"

"Barrel roll above Minerva!" Fllay ordered. "Valiants, vertical point blank range!"

The Minerva's CWIS pumped hot lead into the vacuum, detonating the missiles and putting up a smokescreen. The cloud dissipated as two battleships broke through, one upsidedown above, and one aiming up from below. The captains of the respective ships yelled. "Valiant, TEI!" The projectile cannons shot point blank from above and below, rocking the ship violently.

"Hah?" The explosion rocked the ship as Youlan and Vino ran through it. The ceiling began to collapse. "Gwah!"

"VINO!"

"Both Tristans have been disabled!" Arthur reported as the status came in. Multiple breeches on the upper and lower decks! Captain, we can't take much more!"

"Re-orient and swing around to the side!" Appolly yelled.

"Aim all CWIS cannons at their launchers, cut them down!" Ramius ordered quickly. The machine guns peppered the missile launchers, setting off explosions as the payloads prematurely detonated.

"Launchers on both sides of the ship have been destroyed! Only 30 percent of the CWIS cannons are operational! Captain, all we have left is the Isolde!"

"Gottfried, target their engines!" Fllay snarled as they finished their pass. "FIRE!" The ship's midoric beams drove straight through the tail of the battleship.

"Main thrusters are heavily damaged! I'm losing maneuvering!" Malik grunted as he fought his controls, slamming his feet into the console to get enough leverage to pull back on the stick. The ZAFT goddess of war skidded to a stop on the lunar surface, flames spurting from the oxygen-leaking areas.

"We did it." Fllay sighed.

"Alster-sama. We're receiving a message from Sherridan. He's nearing the rendezvous. Apparently he's injured."

"Break off engagements and head to the set point. We'll need to recover him."

"Roger." The Gabriel banked away, setting a course between Requiem and Messiah.

"ORB mobile suits are nearing Requiem's firing point." The report came into Dullindal's command center.

"Station Two will soon be in position."

"The firing point must be clear of all forces before firing. Neo Genesis, take aim." The Chairman ordered. "Where are Legend and Destiny?"

"We are unable to confirm either signal!"

"Incoming at Green 18, Beta! Freedom!"

"So Ray was even taken down by that thing?" Dullindal frowned in his silent thought.

A ZAKU was dispatched with as Kira slid next to the Eternal. "Lacus!" She nodded silently, knowing his request before he could say it in words. The METEOR launched.

"Damn it this arm really hurts." Sherridan grunted, gripping his bleeding appendage. His screen beeped. "Oh… there they are. Gabriel, I'm going to start in on my landing run."

"Acknowledged, Alan. We'll have a medical crew in the hangar for you."

"I'll need it."

Adam dropped the shield and rolled away from Impulse as fast as possible. She dropped the sword and shot her beam cannon again. "OH SHIT!" Adam cried as he angled his shoulder cone towards the blast. With the damage that it took before from Luna's deflection trick, it buckled, sending the countermeasure flying away. Something caught the corner of his eye. "The Blast Silhouette? With…" He dove for it, ejecting his other shoulder shield.

"Eh? What is he…?" Her eyes went wide, realizing what he was trying to do, and went after him.

Athrun twisted Justice's wrist at just the right angle to break the Excalibur in half, then kicked off and away. "KUSO! Why is someone like you…?" Shinn pulled out his cannon and let one rip.

Justice covered its cockpit with the beam shield, and it deflected away in four different directions. "You're the one that keeps getting trapped in your own past! You're the one that keeps fighting while trapped in that past! Knock it off!"

"Huh?" He gasped.

Adam and Luna listened to the battle below them as he passed the flyer. Luna fired a shot to drive him away from it. "He's right, Shinn! You'll only make more people suffer! This won't bring anyone you lost back!" He turned around and hurtled the beam boomerangs he managed to snatch out of the Meteorite Cone before the attack at Impulse.

"Agh!" Luna squeaked and put her shield in front of her. The blades bit into the shield as they ricocheted off, cutting two large swaths in it. Adam charged up his core cannon and sent the particles flying, the defensive measure detonated, now too weak to handle the attack. "GWAHH!"

"Wh… what the hell are you…?"

"You wanted power, Shinn. Is this really what you wanted it for? SHINN!"

"Stop this, Shinn! It's crazy! You'll wind up losing the people you love the most! Lower your weapons!" Adam grabbed the Blast Silhouette and punched out its controls, taking it over manually with his universal adapters, while the Meteorite Cone restored his shield.

"I know." Shinn's gloves squeaked as he tightened his grip on his controls. "I already know!" He let multiple blasts fly from his beam rifle. "But that's why this world needs to change already! So no one else will ever have to go through it again! That's why ORB must be obliterated!"

"Shinn…" Luna whispered to herself.

"Don't shit with me!" Athrun yelled. "Are you also planning on destroying your future along with everything else? Is that really the world you wanted? Or the strength you wanted? Remember, Shinn! Just what is it you really wanted?" Shinn gasped, and Luna's heart jumped in her chest.

"Honestly, their lives are so troublesome. Lacus Clyne and Kira Yamato. I guess nothing can be done. I'll have to take care of them all later." The tall man mused as Ray awoke, bleeding from his forehead, where a hole in his helmet glass was. He maneuvered what was left of his mobile suit towards Messiah.

"13 degrees starboard, 8 degrees downpitch. Neo Genesis, firing calibrations complete. Output at 90 percent and climbing."

Dullindal spoke aloud. "After clearing away the space around the firing point, we will destroy ORB and be finished with this battle! Notify all forces!"

"Sir!"

A certain white GOUF received the information. "Eternal!"

"Yzak Joule?" DaCosta was as surprised as the rest of the pink ship's crew.

"Messiah is about to fire again! Get all your forces out of the firing range, and make it fast!"

Lacus gasped. "No!"

Luna and Adam were both defenseless, and started scanning the skies for something they could use to block the opponents' attacks. They found it at the same time, the Comet Cone, floating above them. They both shot up, reaching for it.

The irradiation energy launched from the reflector dish, sending alarms everywhere into a panic. "Athrun, Murrue-san!"

"Adam!" Meyrin squeaked as she left her post and dove for the window.

"Woah!" Mwu just barely slid out of the way.

"Uh-oh!" Waltfeld dove into the deepest crater he could find and squatted down.

"Engines to full!" Ramius yelled. "Evade!" The four ORB ships pulled up as fast as possible.

Fllay looked at the monitor as the beam bore down upon her ship. She gasped in fear for a moment, but then smiled. "That's right, this should have been the way. Did I do enough? Adam, could you let me love…" The irradiator covered the ship. The bridge caved in, and the people inside were disintegrated. The Gabriel's hull buckled, and blew apart as its systems overloaded.

Adam heard the alarms beep and looked behind him as the powerful weapon's glow got brighter. Luna ignored it and kept on reaching. "LUNA LOOK OUT!" He dropped his weapons and grasped the suit, putting his engines to full power, taking a full fledged dive.

The boy leaned over in his cockpit, panting heavily, remembering those people he'd lost in life. _"Hi, you've reached Mayu's cell. I'm not here right now, so leave a message after the beep and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Buh-bye!"_

_The girl opened her eyes once again, staring into his red, tear-filled orbs. "Shinn… I love you." Her body went limp. The words left her mouth as her soul left her body._

"_It makes you weak. You won't be able to protect even a fly like that." Ray turned away and went to sleep._

"Even so…" The boy continued breathing hard. "EVEN SO!" His seed broke in his eyes again. He spread his wings reaching his palm beam out towards Athrun's cockpit.

Without warning, the mass of mobile suits that was Impulse and Eagle slid in the path, as Eagle continued to dive. "Agh!" He cried in realization.

"Eh?" Luna's eyes shot wide open.

"No!" Athrun cried.

"HAH!" Shinn gasped as the two mobile suits warped in front of his eyes. "GAH! STELLAR! MAYU!"

_You'll wind up losing the people you love the most!_

_You'll wind up losing the people you love the most!_

_losing the people you love the most!_

_losing the PEOPLE YOU LOVE!_

_THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE!_

_**PEOPLE YOU LOVE!!**_

"KNOCK IT OFF!" Shinn cried as he accelerated, intent on completing his attack, no matter what it hit.

"AH!" She yelled, realizing he wasn't going to stop.

"LUNA!" Adam yelled. He grabbed her mobile suit by the shoulders and twirled it around, putting him in front of the blast.

"NO! ADAM!" She screamed. "YOU CAN'T!" The boy shut his eyes and prepared for the end.

"Kgh!" A bright green football detonated. Athrun's beam shield intercepted Shinn's hand. "YOU FUCKING IDIOT!" He knocked the younger pilot away and pulled out both his beam sabers, slamming them down.

Destiny quickly raised its hands up to meet them, counteracting with the beam cannons. It didn't help, and the arms were destroyed. In an act of desperation, Shinn attempted a kick, but Athrun's saber leg sliced it up quickly. His foot detonated. "AAAAAHHHH!!!" The black-haired Coordinator was sent to the moon's surface.

"Shinn!" Luna cried as she dove.

"No…" Miriallia whispered. "No… NO! NOOOOO!" Captain Ramius looked away from the destruction of Gabriel, tears running from her eyes.

"UH!" Alan's eyes shot wide open. "No… don't joke around! Fllay… FLLLAAAAAYYYY!!"

Two ZAFT vessels were also caught in the destructive wave. "Wha?" Arthur looked up into the monitors. "The Barfest and the Burton have…."

"Gilbert… you actually…" Talia spoke in her head. Ray smiled as he saw the energy dissipate.

Watfeld looked up from the lip of the now significantly smaller crater. "That was too close!" Gaia leapt up and kept going forward, now with a completely clear path to Requiem.

"Sh...Shinn…." Adam stared at the scene below. Athrun turned away quickly, remembering his orders.

"Adam!" A long burst transmission on the screen pulled him out of his daze. "Adam, do you read?"

"Uh? Lacus?"

"Adam, Kira is taking on Messiah. Please, back him up!"

"Unh!" He looked back one last time as Eagle switched to mobile armor form. "Shinn. Lunamaria. What have I done?"

"Requiem, countdown initiated. T-minus 30 seconds."

"Station two, secured in position. Geschmeidig Panzer initialized." The Requiem's cover began to screw in.

"Kuso! They're starting up!" Mwu grunted as he pushed the engines as far as they would go without overloading.

"We need to get in there, now!" Gaia grappled onto Akatsuki's back.

"Damn it, I'm too far away!" Athrun yelled, using the boosters on his lifter for more speed.

Akatsuki angled its DRAGOONs into a cradle around Gaia as it shimmered through the beam shield. Once they were through, Waltfeld jumped off, and Mwu shot his pods into the limited space. Andrew dove for the center, rerouting all power to the engines and the wingsabers. "Oi, oi! What do you think you're doing?" Mwu yelled as he let off his blasts.

"Saving the world! You'd better keep Ramius safe from now on!" Andrew Waltfeld yelled as he twisted into the core of the cannon, his transmission dying.

"WALTFELD!" Mwu yelled as he turned straight up, the explosion backlash hot on his heels. "This is gonna be close!"

The timer went to zero and the nuclear warhead detonated deep in the chambers of Destroy MKII. In a flash of bright light, the last piece of Stellar Loussier's existence was lost forever. Anyone who saw it would have believed that there was a small giggling sound amongst the shockwave.

Akatsuki reached the surface and tore away as the explosion shot high into space, the remaining energy being of no use to the reflection point. The bright orange flame was visible to all on the lunar surface. "Impossible!" Dullindal gaped. "Why?"

Adam slid passed a familiar, but damaged mobile suit. "Uh?" He flipped on his communications. "Sherridan-san? Sherridan-san, is that you?"

Alan attempted to dry his tears with his good arm. "Unh. It's me kid. Uh?" He saw the little disk floating around, and he grabbed it. "Hey kid, I'm looking for a pilot named Shinn. I have a message for him from someone important. You know him at all?"

"Shinn? Unh… I know it… but…."

"Then could I have the code?"

"Sure, but I don't know how much good it will do you." He sent the data. "Look, I gotta run. Say hi to Fllay for me later."

"Fllay's dead, kid. It was that base's weapon."

Adam gasped in shock, and then gritted his teeth hard as he dove for Messiah, tears in his eyes. "CHIKSHOU!"

Alan loaded the disk into his systems. "Stellar, here you go. This is as far as I can take you. It's your show now." He pressed one final button on his distress beacon before he closed his eyes, going limp.

Shinn lay in his cockpit, his eyebrow twitching every once in a while. His communication screen turned on as his consciousness floated in the void of space. Shinn's consciousness floated in the void of space. "Shinn. Shinn." A soft voice called out to him.

His eyes opened slowly. "Stellar?" He looked down at the moon and saw her form coalesce and rise to meet his. She pressed her celestial form against his own, and let out a sad sigh. "What's wrong, Stellar? It's not safe in a place like this."

"It will be fine. So I came to see you just this once." She said as she pushed off from him.

"Just this once? Only just once?"

"Unh… because now is…."

"Now is?"

"Now is tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

"Unh, tomorrow."

"Stellar has had her yesterday. I can tell the difference. I'm happy now."

"Uh?"

"That's why tomorrow is…"

"Stellar…."

"Tomorrow is… tomorrow is…" The transmission blipped out as the degradation became too much. At the same time, the cockpit opened, letting Shinn's face be washed with light.

Athrun looked down at the wreck of ZAFT's finest ship below him. "Gladys-cancho…." He started to reminisce on their time together. Even though they often fought, he held such a high respect for her. He turned away, not wanting to see any more, and he set a course for Messiah.

"Vino! Oi, Vino! You okay?" Youlan pushed aside some wreckage.

The orange-tufted boy winced while he chuckled. "I'm not dead yet, if that's what you mean. Everything seems to be in one piece, but I'm pinned. Give me a hand, will ya?"

"You got it. Just hang on. I'll have you out in a second." His tanned co-worker took off his gloves and spat on his hands, before putting all his weight into pushing the beam that was holding Vino down. "KGH!"

Vino added his back muscles into it until he had enough room to scramble through. "I'm out!" The beam made a loud thud. "Thanks, Youlan. Youlan?" He turned around. "YOULAN!" The boy had lost his energy, and the beam fell on top of him.

He coughed up a wad of blood. "Heh. Well how about that? Guess I won't get that girlfriend after all."

"You idiot! Why'd you have to go and do that?"

"Well, it's not like I exactly…" He started into a coughing fit. "Planned it this way."

"Damn it! I'll get you out of there!" Vino stood up and started pulling.

"Don't waste your energy, Vino. I'm already done."

"But… but…."

"Get out of here, man. If you don't I'll be pissed at you forever. Don't waste me saving your ass."

"But you… you're…."

"Just go. My parents… are on Julius. Tell them… okay, bu…ddy…." His breath left him, as his eyes glazed over.

"Youlan? Oi, Youlan…. YOULAN!" He pounded his fist down, hitting something soft, it was his dead friend's work gloves. He gripped them tight and ran away from the lifeless gaze in the mechanic's eyes.

Miriallia hunched over her console in emotional agony. Her coworkers turned to the captain. "What should we do, ma'am?"

"Eh?" She blinked, coming out of her own sorrow. "This matter is now listed as top secret of the highest grade. Mention this to no one, not even amongst yourselves. All records of that ship are to be eliminated. Kira-kun must never find out about this."

"Ma'am!"

Milly's screen beeped, and as she opened her eyes for a second instinctually, she shot up and gasped hard. "Captain, I'm getting a FAID distress beacon! Maybe… maybe there's something left."

"Cancho…." Neuman turned towards her from his nav station.

"Unh! Set a course, and begin a recovery operation, while engaging all major targets along the way! We're still at war here people!"

"Hai!"

As the Archangel turned, Murrue looked down to the surface below and saluted the downed ship. "Gladys-cancho…."

Lunamaria gasped as she held Shinn's form in her lap, the dust of the moon not making a comfortable seat. "Ungh…" The boy stirred. "Ste…llar…"

"Shinn? Shinn!"

His eyes opened and slowly began to focus. "Luna?"

"Shinn!" She bent over him, cradling his helmet, tears of relief welling in her eyes.

He turned slightly towards the bright light. "That is…?"

"Requiem. ORB… still exists."

"Hah?" He tensed up in her arms.

Kira rocketed towards the enemy base. His METEOR's giant beam saber swiped through the lightwave projector ring, causing disruption. He followed along its side, digging the saber hard into it, causing miniature explosions all along its surface. The ring slipped off the base like a hula hoop. Adam dove forward as the shield went down, cutting up any anti-air defenses within reach. With the shield down, Freedom and Eternal let loose all of its missiles into the fortress. The highly charged Neo Genesis panel was one of the first hit, and the explosion was massive. Kira and Adam slid into the bay and unleashed all of their weapons at once, taking out all the battleships, mobile suits, and controls. The siege sent explosions through the base's command center.

Shinn looked away, tears beginning to flow. He turned around and grabbed the girl tightly. He wailed, his own failure tormenting him, everything he believed in, taken away.

"Captain… Messiah has…" Arthur couldn't finish his statement.

"This ship's operations are over. All hands, abandon ship."

"Ma'am!"

"I hate to leave you like this, but I need you to take command. I'll leave everyone in your hands, Arthur. There is one last place I must go."

"Eh? Uh… hai."

She forced out a sad smile. "You've been a wonderful second in command. Forgive me."

"Cancho…." The man quickly saluted her as she walked away.

"Kira! Adam!" Athrun yelled as he dove towards the Messiah's docking bay.

The doors opened to what was left of the command center, as Kira and Adam stepped out into the rubble. The center chair swiveled around, Dullindal sitting in it, conscious and aware. He stood up as the teens approached. "So you came to a place like this after all… I'll admit I'm surprised, Kira Yamato-kun. And you too? I suppose today is full of surprises, since you're here, Adam Cancho-kun."

"Tch." Adam cocked his weapon as Kira said nothing, raising a pistol without even blinking an eye.

"So that's how it is. But are you sure you want to do that?" He raised his own weapon.

"Uh!" Adam's eyes widened as he quickly leveled his gun.

In Messiah's hallway, Ray willed his body forward, bounding on what little gravity was left. Meanwhile, Gladys's shuttle pod steered through the wreckage into the nearest bay.

"It's best if you quit, after how far we've come." Dullindal spoke sincerely. "If you go through with it, you'll do nothing but cast the world into confusion again. You know it's the truth."

As Athrun's cockpit opened, Lacus sat in fear, watching the explosions from the outside, her link to him broken. "Kira…" Meyrin pressed her hand against the front window, in worry about her own loved one.

"I agree that might happen, but at least we can choose which path can lead to the place in which it doesn't. That is, if we live in a world where there's choices." Kira eyed him.

"Heh. Nobody will ever choose such a path. They will forget, and same mistakes will be done again. Saying we'll never let it happen again, that the world won't become like that… can anyone really say that?"

"Hu." Kira tensed on the trigger.

"There isn't anyone who can. Neither you, or that girl of yours. No one can know for sure, after all."

As Athrun bounded down the hall, a guard with a machine gun turned around and fired at him. "Agh!" He quickly ducked into an elevator to get away. "Kuso! Kira…"

Ray pressed his back up against a wall and drew his pistol. "Gil…" He said silently. The tall man noticed it quickly, and let loose a tiny smile.

"I can!" Adam stepped forward.

"Hmm? Well that's a comedic statement there, Adam. I don't think you've really thought that through."

"Trust me, I have, far too many nights, I have! I'll admit there's a chance it might happen again, but we're not the same after this war, either! What you're doing is taking away everyone's dreams!"

"Dreams? What are dreams, really? A fantasy that can never be obtained. Isn't that all it really boils down to?"

"No, it doesn't!" Adam hissed. "Dreams bring about something greater, hope. Hope brings about progress, and progress brings people closer to their dreams, so they can dream even more! All you're doing is stagnating that!"

"Stagnating? We're already stagnating, repeating wars every few decades, as more people die, along with their dreams."

"Don't preach to me about that! In the line of fire of Requiem was a young woman who saved my life, and just began to live again." He snarled as his weapon hand shook.

"Adam… you…." Kira gave a quick look his way, as Ray watched in stun.

"You took that away from her as you'll take that away from everyone else!" He clasped his other hand onto his wrist to steady the weapon.

"Oh? Just why are you pointing that weapon at me, Blue Knight? Are you just here to satisfy your thirst for revenge for the death of that girl?"

Adam gritted his teeth hard, his shoulders trembling. After letting out a long breath, he relaxed. "I have a dream, it's rather simple really. I want to live with Meyrin and have a family with her, and to see her smile always. Isn't that a worthwhile enough dream to have? Did you ever have such a dream?"

Dullindal raised his eyebrows at the question and stayed silent as an explosion shook the plating under their feet slightly. "Ah. Once." He thought back to Talia's smile, when they were on the beach together. "But that dream was invalidated… once I found out I was sterile. Now this is my dream, but it's no dream, because it can become reality. That is… if you let me live. This world must be organized so that no more suffering is brought onto the people!"

"But we already established that fact! We know that we can understand each other, and that changes can be made on that basis! There's no need to take it as far as you want it to go!" Kira returned to the front. "That's why we search for our futures! It doesn't matter how hard the journey, but we don't want an existence where we can't make a difference!"

"Isn't what you're doing just satisfying a need to leave behind a legacy?" Adam also spoke up. "Or maybe you just want everyone to have lost their dream as you have!"

"Ah?" Ray started at that statement, lowering his pistol.

"That's a rather egotistical look to things. Just like the ultimate Coordinator and the Knight who cheats death for you."

"The egotistical one here is you! All I am is a single human being! I'm not different from everyone else! Lacus is the same!" As he spoke, Talia's elevator hit the command floor, and Ray raised his pistol quickly. "But that's the exact reason I need you to die! Because we know that!"

"I wonder though… the world that you want and the world that I'm creating… which would humanity choose? Are you really going to risk having yet another chaotic world on your hands after you kill me? What would you do?"

"I'm prepared for that possibility." His aim got serious. Ray flinched again.

"As will I." Adam stepped to the side and back a few steps.

"I will fight for that world!"

As Gladys raised her weapon, Adam saw the motion out of the corner of his eye and gasped, turning as quickly as possible. "Kira!"

Athrun's elevator opened up to the standoff. "KIRA!"

BANG!

"Distress beacon confirmed." Miriallia sighed. "It's not from an Archangel class's lifepod. It's from a mobile suit." She brought up ShEZAMS on screen, as it floated freely.

"Even so, we should get whoever it is. Open the starboard hatch. Neuman, can you catch him?"

"Eh? You want me to pull a scoop?"

"We don't have a choice, we're needed with the Eternal."

"Understood." Archangel went to burn as her hull enveloped the limp mobile suit.

The shot continued to echo throughout the wide area. Kira, Adam, and Talia let out trembling breaths. Athrun pulled out of his stun just enough so he could turn to cover the person on the other side of the pillar, Ray. Dullindal stumbled backwards, a large squirt of blood flowing from his chest as he fell to the floor. Kira looked over his shoulder, at a trembling blonde boy, who slammed himself against the wall and slid to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. "Ray!" Gladys called to him, astonished. Instead of going to him, she ran to the dying Chairman's side.

"Uh? Daicho?" Adam lowered his weapon as the two boys turned to their comrade.

"Ray… you…." Athrun stood above the cowering boy. "Uh?" He went to meet his friends.

. In the lull, a large explosion took out one of the overhead bridges, near where the Minerva's captain first entered. "Gah." Adam covered his face as the smoke quickly swept through the place.

Dullindal came to and spit out a trickle of blood from his mouth. "Yo, Talia. So you're the one that shot me."

"No, it was Ray."

"Huh?"

"Gil…! Forgive me… please…." He couldn't bear to look at the man. "But that future is…."

"I see now. So you chose to choose."

Another large explosion took out the other bridge, and it slammed down right next to the central chair. "This place is coming apart at the seams! Gladys-cancho!" Adam went forward with the others.

She raised her weapon against them. "You should get going. It was my intention to follow this man's soul wherever it went." Kira just stared at her in disbelief.

"No way…." Adam's head lowered, his hair covering his eyes. "Why? Why you too?" He raised his head as tears ran down his cheeks again. "What's the point in you dying at this juncture?"

She smiled. "That's just like you to say something like that, Adam. It was good to see you again."

"Captain!"

"Give a message to Ramius-cancho for me. I have a child… a son. I want her to see him someday."

Kira stood there, thinking, as another explosion rattled the floor. "If that's your wish." He turned to leave. Athrun looked her in the eye, and she nodded. He followed Kira's path.

"Sorry for the trouble, Talia." Dullindal whispered. "But I have to admit I'm happy."

"You're so hopeless. But I guess it really couldn't be helped. I guess this is Destiny, yours and mine."

"Oh stop with that stuff." He chuckled a little.

"I won't accept that!" Adam started forward.

A bullet hole appeared in the panel an inch from his foot, as another gunshot rang out, this time dampened by the explosions. "Try that again, and I won't be the only one dying, Adam."

"But… your son! Isn't he more than enough reason to live on?"

Athrun placed a hand on his shoulder. "Adam, enough. If she doesn't want to go, we can't force her."

"But I can't just leave her here to die!"

Gladys smiled. "You always were the kindest one, Adam. But you're also rather naïve. Which is why you need to leave, and live on. Ray, come here, please.

"Don't worry, Adam Cancho." The blonde boy stood up, tears still running down his cheeks. "I'll look after them from here on. Shinn will need you from now on. Honestly, that boy still needs looking after. He's so helpless." He walked forward.

"Ray…."

"You're his best friend, right? I know for a fact that hasn't changed, even after Falcon was destroyed." He stared at the boy before going up to the podium. "I hope that you can call me 'friend' as well. Now go."

"Ray… unh. Gladys-cancho, it's been an honor serving with you. And I'll keep that promise." He bounded away, with tears streaming down his cheeks, the other two following shortly behind.

Kira jumped into Freedom as the explosions increased in frequency and size, as the others quickly floated into their units. Outside, all eyes were watching Messiah, waiting for them to emerge.

Talia pulled the teenage clone into a tight embrace. "You've done your part well."

"Eh?"

"Everything is fine now."

"Mother…" He said slowly, as he buried his face into her shoulder. With that a large detonation came from below and consumed the three of them. Kira abandoned METEOR and shot from the hangar like a bat out of hell, his two comrades shortly following.

Messiah impacted the moon's surface in a ball of smoke and flames, collapsing to the side. As Shinn and Luna watched their hopes burn, their tears were renewed, as all the others that participated in the battle had their own disappointments. A valiant Eternal crewmember had lost his life. A mechanic that Shinn and Adam knew well also gave his life to save another. The captain of the ship and her adoptive son also had perished. FAID was annihilated, with Sheridan being the last to remain. Thousands of others had lost their lives to this fight, and millions overall throughout the war.

"Justice, Freedom, Eagle, signals confirmed!" Meyrin sighed in relief. "Yellow 8, Delta!"

"Open a channel to Gondwana please, Meyrin." Lacus said quickly.

"Hai."

"This is the Eternal, Lacus Clyne commanding. ZAFT's current commander of operations, please listen to my message. We are of the belief that there is no merit in continuing the battle in this region of space, and do not desire such. I wish to propose an immediate end to the hostilities at this time, with no conditions to follow. I will repeat…." As she did so, ORB and EAF mobile suits limped back towards their ships, rescuing ejected pilots and lifepods.

The Gondwana shot up three flares: red, green, blue. All mobile suits: return to base. Everything stood still. As an answer, Eternal and Archangel sent up the same. As every ship soon followed, the night sky became filled with tri-colored lights and engine trails, painting a beautiful tapestry in front of Shinn and Lunamaria's eyes.

Shinn, with his tears slowed down, looked back to his and Luna's mobile suits, now just hulks of metal, sitting there. _"Is that really the world you wanted? Or the strength you wanted? Remember, Shinn! Just what is it you really wanted?"_ He tensed his fist and started to sob again.

"Shinn…" Luna pressed herself on his back.

Adam saw them on his sensors and banked to the side. Eagle landed next to them and launched out of the cockpit, floating down to them. He opened his arms wide and caught them both in a tight hug as he stopped. Looking passed their helmets into their faces was enough, as he held them both tighter, crying between them, remembering all the people he lost. "No more, just no more. It's over, it just has to be."

Phase 39 Preview: The end of a battle is never the end of a war. As peace is obtained, and calm ensues, one boy's war is still going on in his heart. Facing his demons, he must learn from his past, but even so…. Next time on Old Friends Anew: Torment. Awaken from your deep slumber, Adam!


	39. Old Friends Anew Ch 39 END

Old Friends Anew: Destiny's True Beginning

Phase-39: End Phase: Torment

After the long, tiring, and terrifying battle, the ORB Union and ZAFT agreed to an armistice. Soon after, peace talks began between ORB's Cagalli Yula Athha and the temporary Chairman of PLANT. Cosmic Era 74, in irony, on Febuary the 14th, where the initial fighting began four years earlier, the Valentine Treaty was signed. The labeled rebel, Lacus Clyne, was granted a full pardon for her actions, and was granted her wish to return to her country. After the full honor guard escort from both sides, she disembarked.

Though wanting to stay with her, Kira Yamato left her in the hands of his best friends' former comrades, Yzak Joule and Dearka Elsman. Kira and Athrun returned to the Archangel and along with its crew, returned to ORB. Two passengers aboard that ship were Adam Cancho, and Meyrin Hawke. The young pilot desired to return to his home, as he promised, when peace was obtained. His beloved, still questioning where her loyalties lie, elected to stay by his side.

At the request of Representative Athha, Adam delayed visiting the underground lair he spent a portion of his life in. The reason she did so was to accompany him, and bring them back to the world they had missed, officially. Due to the restructuring and reconstruction of the country, the delay took just over one month…

A teenage foot stepped on a loose rock, causing a small scraping sound as it shifted just slightly. "Here it is." The boy took a deep breath as he kneeled down and pressed the button on the flat surface in front of him. The dirt and rocks began to shift as a large metal box rose from the ground. Once the doors on it opened, it sounded off with a dull DING. He stepped into the inner chamber, along with three other pairs of feet. The boy's hand hovered over the descent button.

"Adam, what's wrong?" The pigtailed girl put a hand on his shoulder.

"Uh? Oh, it's nothing." The citrus-haired boy put his hand to his side.

"You know if you say it that way…." Kira pointed out from behind him.

"Then everyone knows something's wrong." All four said at once.

"Yeah, so spill already, what's your beef?" Cagalli crossed her arms as she leaned back onto the metal plating.

"Well it's just that I've been gone for so long. What is it, almost a year since I left here? I've met people. I've seen things. I've fought battles. I've changed. What if they don't like what I've become? And don't make me point out that I'm going to be introducing my girlfriend to them for the first time." Adam slipped his arm around Meyrin's waist.

"I know how that feels, Adam." Cagalli spoke up. "Uzumi, my father, was very harsh with me after I returned from Desert Dawn. He was disgusted with me for becoming such a rebel, and said I hadn't learned anything. But he still loved me, cared for me, and he sacrificed himself for me in the end. No matter what their opinion is down there, the love will never change. Plus they haven't seen you in a year, so I'm sure they'd be glad just to lay their eyes on you."

"And if it makes you feel any better, I'm kind of nervous too. Remember this is also my first time being introduced to my boyfriend's parents." Meyrin put on a soft smile.

"Thanks guys. Only friends like you could put me at ease like that." Adam's hand pushed the button, and the door closed. The elevator began to move slowly as it played soft music.

"One thing I'm not to clear on, Kira," Cagalli whispered to her brother. "Is why you're here. Athrun could have come with me easily, and you should be up with Lacus right now. Yet he tells me you insisted on being my escort for this one. Why?"

"There's something I need to confirm. Something is not right somewhere along the line." He answered back in the same tone.

"Huh? I don't get it."

"You will, I'm sure."

"Hey, are you two trying to plot some sort of prank on me?" Adam raised an eyebrow. The other two just shook their heads rapidly. "Hmm? Well, nevermind, we're here." The elevator dinged and the doors opened. Immediately a foul and stale odor wafted into the enclosed space.

"Ugh!" Meyrin slapped her hand over her mouth and nose.

"Oh, that is ripe!" Cagalli waved her hand in front of her face as Kira only stared into the darkness.

"This is strange." Adam coughed, "Why are all the lights out? And why is it that the air filters aren't working?" He called into the darkness. "Good morning! You mind hitting the switch? I mean I know its early morning, but could we at least get some light in here?" Adam's request was never answered. "This is too weird. Meyrin, take my hand, and everyone else do the same in a chain. I know where we can find some glow sticks." Adam closed his eyes and visualized the chamber, following the wall until he got to a maintenance cabinet. Feeling around for the articles, he pulled out and cracked it. "Aha!" The teen used the meager light to find three others, cracking them and giving each of them one to wear. "If the air is stale and the power is off, that means the generator isn't running. Most likely my folks are still asleep, they always did sleep heavy."

"But how did the elevator work then?" Cagalli posed the question.

"Separate power supply. If the generator goes offline, then we would have a way to escape." Adam lugged out a toolbox. "I'll see what I can do to repair it. You three stay here. I'll get the power back on." His glow started to move away from the others until it rounded a corner.

"I don't like this." Meyrin huddled close to the others.

"Me neither. What's going on here?" Cagalli looked up to her taller sibling.

"There's something wrong here, I just know it." Kira strained his eyes in the darkness.

Suddenly a small breeze began to circulate the air, and the lights went on, forcing everyone to squint. "I got it!" Adam called as he rounded the corner. "For some reason they forgot to fill up the tank." He stepped up to the three of them. "I've also turned on the air filters to full power, so it'll be a bit breezy in here for a while. Sorry for all the trouble." The others in the party said nothing as they looked on straight ahead. "Hey, what's the matter with you guys?"

"Um… Adam… what are those?" Cagalli pointed forward. Kira only let out a slow breath as his eyes trembled. Meyrin held her fist tight inbetween her breasts as she attempted to slow her heavy breathing.

"What do you mean, 'what are those'? Those are…." Adam turned around nonchalantly, until he saw what they were staring at. Two large stone crosses, imperfectly carved and inscribed. "What the…." He and the others approached, as his heart jumped in his chest, making him pause while the other three passed him.

Cagalli went up to the first cross. "Peter Cancho…." Adam's heart throbbed again.

"Marissa Cancho, CE 29 to CE 71." Meyrin read the other. "Wait, these can't be!" Adam was forced to his knees.

Kira walked past the stones to the large objects sitting behind them. He inspected one and kicked the top off of it will full force. The disgusting odor wafted into the air again. "These are graves." He said has he looked away.

The color palate in Adam's eyes inverted as he got up. Meyrin got up and peeked into the casket. "Oh dear God."

The boy began to stumble backwards. Cagalli nearly lost her stomach as she came to the other two's sides. "Shit, Kira, put the lid back on, quick!"

The Yamato Coordinator hurried over to that side and lifted the heavy piece of wood onto the casket. "Adam, did you know about this?" He said once his task was finished. There was no response. "Adam?" When they looked toward him, they only saw his blank eye as the door to the elevator closed in front of him.

"Adam! Adam!" Cagalli went to the door and pounded on it.

"It's already on its way up!" Meyrin listened for its motor noise.

"We can't do anything until it comes back down again. Damn it!" Kira punched the button.

As the three waited impatiently for their ride to descend, they all attempted to work things out in their heads. "It just doesn't add up." Cagalli finally spoke as the doors opened. "Everyone in, quickly!"

Meyrin hit the up button. "Maybe they died after Adam left?"

"That wouldn't make sense," Kira answered, pacing the small space as best he could. "If he didn't know about it, then he would have been crying from the realization of it. He didn't even make a sound before he left. Plus that wouldn't explain the death dates."

"Year 71." Cagalli recalled reading the stone.

"Exactly. Wasn't that the year he went underground?"

A dull chime signaled their arrival on the surface before they issued from the enclosed space. Meyrin was the first out. "Adam! Adam!" She cupped her hands over her mouth as she searched for him.

Kira climbed up to the top of the elevator and went on lookout. "Ah! Meyrin, Cagalli! He's on the old road, bearing 10 o'clock!"

"HHHEEEEEAAAHHHH!!" The boy's anguished scream reached their ears, shocking the twins and causing a visceral pang in Meyrin's stomach.

"He's down!" The Yamato teen yelled as he jumped off his roost.

"On the double!" Cagalli yelled as she ran pel-mel towards her fallen comrade. She arrived first, diving to her knees and picking up his limp body. "Adam! Adam talk to me. Come on, I know you're in there!"

Meyrin was next to land by his side, wiping tears from her eyes. "Adam, baby, what's wrong? Cagalli-san, is he…?"

"Let me check his pulse." The blonde shifted him to get better access to his wrist. The boy's head turned to face Meyrin. The pinkish-redhead squeaked in fear as his unmoving, unfeeling gaze assaulted her, bringing her even more tormented tears. "He's got a pulse, just barely. Kira!"

The violet-eyed Coordinator was already on the phone. "Kisaka-san! We've got an emergency out here! We need a full medical squad down here NOW! Also send two investigation units. While you're at it, call up Cagalli's personal therapist and get him out here too. Yes you heard me, her PERSONAL therapist, now move!"

"He can't go… not after everything. Not after all we've been through." Meyrin was fully broken down.

"Meyrin… hey, Meyrin look at me." Kira placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I can't… can't deal…."

"I said look at me, dammit!" He shook her until he finally got her attention. "Adam is not dead yet, and we're going to keep him that way, you read me? We'll get him back. We'll get him back." He wasn't sure if he said it for her or himself.

Within minutes, Cagalli and Kira watched as the medical craft flew off at top speed with Adam, Meyrin staying at his side. The girl pinched the bridge of her nose. "This is just too much. I'm completely lost."

"Okay, once you're down there, I want a report on everything, and I mean everything in that bunker, down to the expiration dates on the food. But make sure to leave it the way you found it." Kira gave directions to the investigation team as they arrived. He sighed as he pinched a knot in his neck. "I think I have an idea what's going on, but I quite honestly didn't expect all this."

"Good, then you mind explaining it to me?" A blue haired teen stepped out of the black sports car he drove up in.

"Athrun?" Kira blinked in surprise.

"Kisaka-san told me there was something going on down here, so I came as fast as I could."

"Athrun, Adam's been taken to Onogoro Emergency. It's like he's completely lost control of his body." Cagalli went up to him and pressed her head against his chest.

"Or more accurately, his mind." Kira shook his head.

"What? How did this happen? How's Meyrin handling it?"

"Meyrin's with him, but she's taking it just as you'd expect, extremely hard." Kira kicked a pebble. "He means practically everything to her, especially now that she's here with him in ORB."

"When we went down there to bring his parents out, we found them in caskets, rotting away." Cagalli shuddered at the image burned into her memory.

"Caskets… how is that possible? Didn't Adam himself say that his parents were LIVING down there? Did someone break in and kill them?"

"I doubt that, Athrun, but we'll know later once the reports come in. Now if only that therapist would get here." Kira looked around.

"Um… Kira, that would be me." Athrun raised his hand.

"Huh? I asked Kisaka for Cagalli's personal therapist."

"Yeah, that's me."

"Since when did you get a degree in psychology?"

"I didn't."

"Then why…."

"Kira." Cagalli stopped her twin. "Athrun helps me to deal with day to day stresses. He's my PERSONAL therapist."

The boy raised an eyebrow. "Just what kind of therapy are you administering?" Upon seeing their blushes he shook is head. "On second thought, I don't want to know."

The doctor came out into the waiting room shaking his head, to where Kira and Athrun leaned on a wall while Meyrin was being consoled and held by Cagalli. When they saw him coming they began to crowd together. "Well, what can I say? Reporting a condition I don't know is really tough."

"What?" All four asked at once.

"I mean his situation is completely in flux. When Mr. Cancho was in the medical transporter, he was breathing on his own, heart pumping, the whole works. But when he arrived here, he immediately slipped into a coma and had to go on artificial respiration. Now he's back to a state of deep sleep, breathing on his own. We've got monitors on him, and nurses ready to jump through the door and put him on artificial again when it happens."

"When? What do you mean 'when it happens'?" Athrun uncrossed his arms.

"His brainwave activity shows a pattern of steady decline, which causes him to slip into the coma. Then for some unknown reason the brain activity skyrockets, almost past REM, only to begin to fall again sometime later. I haven't seen anything like it."

"Can we see him?" Kira asked before Meyrin could.

"I'm afraid not. Until we get down a pattern of when he goes comatose, I can't sanction it. Even then, I can only let you go in when he's in a coma. I'm worried about what sensory input would do during the increased state."

"I want you to page my personal line when we can see him." Cagalli said as she held up her phone to him. "This is of utmost importance, understand?"

"Completely clear, Representative." The doctor's own pager buzzed, after a quick look, he sighed. "I need to go, looks like he just went comatose again." The man left without another word.

"Adam…." Meyrin looked up as the doors swung shut. She covered her face in her hands, letting tears flow that she thought she had run out of.

Kira's phone chimed. "Yeah?" He answered it. "Okay… okay, got it. Use the conference room. Yamato out." He hung up and quickly sent a look to his best friend.

Athrun caught the look and nodded before kneeling down in front of the miserable girl. "Meyrin." He pulled her hands from her face and tilted her chin so they made eye contact.

"Athrun-san, what do I do? He's in there, and I'm out here and…."

"Woah, hey, take a deep breath now. Listen, there's only so much we can do to help you here. What you need is a family touch. Go call up Lunamaria. We'll arrange for transport to ship her down if need be. Okay? I'm sure she could help you more."

After a few more sobs and tears, she nodded. "You're right." She wiped off some of the pain and forced the rest back. "You're right, thanks. I need to make a vid-phone call. Excuse me." She slowly rose to her feet.

"Do you want me to go with…" Cagalli began to follow but Kira grabbed her arm and shook his head.

"No, I'll be fine. Thank you. You've done enough for me already." The pigtailed girl took a deep breath before she went off to find a phone.

Once she was gone, Cagalli wrenched her arm out of Kira's grip. "You mind explaining why you stopped me?"

"Because I didn't want her coming with us, and we need you. The investigation report is in. They're waiting for us in the conference room. I don't want her to suffer needlessly."

The phone rang on the purple-haired girl's nightstand. She groaned as she sat up, picking up the receiver. "Hawke residence."

"Lumi, please help me." The girl on the other end sniffled.

"Mirei? Mirei is that you?" She pulled the covers over her chest before she flipped on the light and the video monitor. She saw the girl with reddened eyes at the other end. "Oh my god…."

"Lumi, I need you. Please, you've got to help me. I know it's late and everything but I just can't handle this alone."

Another being stirred under the covers. "Ungh, Luna, who is it? Who would be stupid enough to call this late?"

Lunamaria cringed when the voice spoke, and Meyrin stopped her begging, wide eyed. "Lumi, that sounded like…. Lunamaria Hawke, what is Shinn doing in your apartment?"

"Trying to sleep, what else?" He grumbled. "Whoever that is, she sure is noisy."

"M…Meyrin, what are you talking about? What's wrong?"

Shinn's eyes snapped open. "Oh shit."

"Screw that for a second! Lumi, what is Shinn doing over there?"

"Excuse me? Since when do you butt into my personal life?"

"Since I found out that Shinn Asuka was sleeping with you! That's when!"

"Oh, you're one to talk, with the way you and Cancho are going. What did you call me for, to tell me that Adam knocked you up?"

The mention of the boy brought her back to her senses, and grief. "L…Lumi, can you come down to ORB? I need you here."

"Down to ORB? Heh! Forget it." Luna was still fuming, not taking notice of her little sister's condition. "You're the one that decided to go to ORB instead of rejoining ZAFT. You want comfort, you come up here."

"Lumi, please, I'm begging you."

"Why? Why should I go through that trouble all because you and Adam took one too many risks?"

"Dammit Luna, I'm not pregnant!" The girl screamed, before breaking down into tears.

"Mey…rin…." It caught Luna off guard, almost making her drop the receiver.

Shinn sat up and flipped the switch for the speakerphone. His red eyes stared into the camera. "Meyrin, we're listening now. Talk to us."

"It's about Adam…." The girl tried to force out. "He's… gone into a coma."

"Wha?" Shinn's eyes went wide.

"Eh?" Luna echoed nearly at the same time.

"We don't know why, he just screamed and then collapsed in the street." Her chest heaved.

"When did this happen?" Luna began to tremble. "Mirei? Stay focused. We need to know."

"To…today, sometime this morning, my time."

"Today? Shinn, isn't today when Adam was supposed to see his folks again?"

"Yeah, I know he was really looking forward to it."

"Shinn…." Meyrin broke up the conversation. "We went into the bunker. His parents were dead, long dead."

The recipients of the message both lost their voices as their breaths stuck. Shinn's color palate inverted as he remembered his own horrific image of his parents. It was a scar that still stuck with him. "Dead, you say…. You mean they were killed?" Luna managed to pull out first.

"Yes, I mean, no, I mean… I don't know. The whole thing doesn't make any sense. All I know is that Adam's in intensive care, and there are two dead people in the bunker where his parents should be. Lumi, this is too much for me. Please…."

"Mirei…." Luna smiled sadly. "I'll be there, little sister, as fast as I can."

"Thank you Lumi." Meyrin wiped the tears from her eyes. "Take the direct shuttle from ORB Spacelines, Cagalli-san said she'll take care of the cost."

"Will do. Just try to hang on until I get there."

"Unh. And Lumi, thank you." The connection cut out.

Shinn rolled out of bed and got up. "And where are you going?" Luna stood up, taking the blanket with her.

"Home, to pack."

"You can't go, you've got psychologist appointments."

"Luna, as much as I admit I need help with my own past, Adam is the only thing from that past that I have left. He's also my best friend in the present. As far as I'm concerned, I say screw the psychologist. I need to be there as much as you do."

"But…"

"No buts! Luna you know I'm right. Don't fight me on this one."

"All right, all right. Mou!" Luna raised her hands in surrender. "How did I manage to fall in love with someone as stubborn as you?"

As the three teens sat down at the conference room table, the lights went down, and the leader of the investigation team made his way to the head. "Representative Athha, Prince Yamato, Colonel Zala, thank you for coming in such short order."

"Iie." Cagalli spoke formally. "This is a matter of great importance to me as well."

"Before I begin, I want to warn you that some of the images you will see may be disturbing. I notice that one of the members of the group who initially came into contact with the subjects is not here, Miss Hawke, I believe. I would have asked her to leave this meeting for that reason if she were here."

"We had anticipated that." Kira stated.

"A wise choice. Then let us begin." The man pressed a button on his remote control, and the first slide was shown on the wall screen. "This was the first view we saw when we entered the bunker, both headstones in plain view."

"Those headstones, what are they made out of?" Kira squinted.

"It would be hard to tell without a proper and full chemical analysis, but it seems as though it's made from the surrounding rock. We found a chamber," He flicked a switch to the next slide. "Where we think the rock came from, there are some large abnormal pits, and some small rocks and dirt on the floor, as you can see here." Click. "As for the headstones themselves, they appear to be handmade by an amateur, but whoever did this took their time, else the shape and the trim would not have turned out like it did."

"And the engraving?" Cagalli asked next.

"Also handmade with the same slow speed." Click. "The birth date for Marissa Cancho matches that of her headstone. It appears as though the dates for Peter Cancho were started, but a large chip made continuing impossible without risking the whole thing falling apart." Click. "The caskets themselves were very rushed, and I surmise, were built around the bodies."

"Around them? Why do you say that?" Athrun's interest was piqued.

Click. "Using a blacklight, we found sparse traces of blood leading from the elevator to the casket area. As bodies are heavy, they would be rolled into the casket if it were just one person doing it, leaving a blood trail on the inside and rim where it was rolled. There were no such indications. Now I'm sorry, but this is where it gets bad." Click. The three teens winced. "This is the one labeled Marissa. Without DNA testing, we have no way of knowing who it truly is, but she's definitely female, but for a few exceptions." Click. "This is actually a male leg." Click. "Similarly, there are a few female parts in the Peter casket, such as this pelvis. If we assume that these two have their parts interchanged, it would still reveal that each body is incomplete. As you saw before, the Marissa body is missing half its skull. My guess is that whoever brought the bodies in either didn't know who they belonged to, or didn't care and just wanted it to look human."

"What about the time of death? And the cause?" Kira put two fingers to his chin.

"Without a proper autopsy it would be impossible to say for sure, but judging by the amount of parts, my colleagues agree that it was a massive instantaneous trauma to the body, causing bones to break and damaging vital organs. As for the time of death, without knowing how long the air was stagnant, or the atmospheric conditions beforehand, we have no way of knowing when they died."

"That is a problem." Kira put his hand on the desk and drummed his fingers.

Click. "As for the storehouse, we found it surprisingly full. Plenty of canned goods, and there was even a hydroponics lab that, if maintained, would have provided fresh vegetables for a good 5 years."

"On estimate how long could one person last on that amount of food?" Athrun stared at the shelves of cans.

"We estimate about four years for one person."

"And how about how much was used? Can you tell that?" Kira leaned forward, practically taking over the meeting.

"It would be a rough estimate, but judging by the empty shelf space, and the conditions of the hydroponic soil, two years for one person."

"I think I see where you're going with this, Kira." Athrun said. "You dusted for fingerprints right? What did you find?"

"10 point match for each finger, the prints on all the doors, the tools, the machines, belong to Adam Cancho."

"Were there any other prints found?"

"Maybe a couple here and there, but many of those we can assume to be Adam's as well because they still have similar marks to the full prints."

"I knew it." Kira balled his fist.

"After all investigations were completed, we, as ordered, returned the room to its original state. Thus ends my report." He went and turned up the lights.

"Thank you. I expect a written report has also been made?" Cagalli stood up.

"It will be on your desk within the hour, Representative."

"Please see to it. You are dismissed."

"Thank you Representative." The man bowed, and then showed himself out.

After he left, Cagalli sat down. "Okay, I know that look, Kira. You're on to something. What is it?"

"There was only one person living in that cave." Kira answered.

"Adam said that all three of them lived down there, but there was only enough food used for one person." Athrun followed his lead.

"And even more would have been used if there were still two people living in that bunker."

"So what you're saying is…" Cagalli's breath slowed.

Both boys answered at the same time. "Adam was alone from the start."

"But how? How is that possible?"

"I think I can answer that, but first I need to get into the Archangel's archives. Do me a favor and call up Milly for me, would you?" Kira asked before he got up. "I'd do it myself, but there's something I need to do."

As Lacus worked in her office on the Eternal, her ever-active Haro rolled around on the edge. "Lacus-sama." An intercom window popped up at the side of her terminal, holding the face of Dearka Elsman.

"Hai."

"We're receiving a call from ORB, Priority One."

"From ORB? Patch it through, and make sure I'm not disturbed until it's done."

"Understood, ma'am."

Dearka's face was quickly replaced with one she cared deeply for. "Kira!"

"Hey, Lacus… hard at work as ever I see, even at this time of night."

"Did you expect anything less? But you didn't want to see me about my work schedule, did you?"

Kira's face fell. "No."

"Kira… you've been crying, haven't you, love?"

"Yeah…" He took a deep breath. "Lacus, you know how much the first war hurt me, right?" She looked at him silently. "Okay, stupid question. I think one of my past mistakes has come back to haunt me, Lux."

"Kira… what happened?"

"Adam's in a coma."

"Huu!" Lacus's heart slammed against her chest.

"What's more, we found no one alive in the bunker."

"Oh, dear sweet Lord…."

"I'm not absolutely sure yet, but I think I may have caused his situation. Lux, I know you're busy and all, but could you come home? I… I really need you. I know it's a greedy thing to ask, especially with all you've been working on for the new PLANT government, but…."

"Kira." The girl showed a soft smile. "When have I ever not been there in your times of need, love? Be at peace. I'll soon be by your side again, where I belong."

"Thank you, Lux." Kira sighed softly before he cut his connection.

"Dearka-san, Shiho-san." A split-screen communications window opened up. "There's been a situation down at ORB that needs my attention. Dearka-san, please have my shuttle prepped for immediate launch. Shiho-san, I need your help in packing, if you please."

"But Lacus-sama, what about the campaign endorsement visits you have scheduled?" Dearka began to protest.

"There is also that doctor's appointment that you deemed priority tomorrow." Shiho also added.

"Doctor's appointment? I don't have that on my list. What's the matter, are you sick?"

"Not at all, I'm healthy. Extremely healthy, in fact. But as for everything else, cancel it. This takes highest priority. If anyone protests, tell them to wedge it up their ass!" Both ZAFT officers had their jaws drop to the floor, never hearing her speak like that before.

"Understood. I'll get online to engineering right away." Dearka's half of the screen cut out.

"Shiho-san? Is there something more?"

"Lacus-sama… are you sure you want to miss this appointment?"

"It's not necessary for me to go. I already know what the results will be. Though I would prefer to have a checkup, there are some things that go far beyond the importance of one woman."

"But, if you're not in good health…."

"If it will put you at ease, I'll have the ORB doctors look me over when I have some time. Is that agreeable?"

"Hai. I'll await you in your chambers to assist your packing efforts." Her screen also blanked out.

"Kira, what could have happened that he would blame himself?"

Miriallia Haww yawned as she stepped onto the bridge of the Archangel, and met Cagalli, Athrun, Kira, and a newly composed Meyrin. "Okay, what's going on guys? Cagalli-san told me about what happened to the Cancho boy, my condolences to you, Meyrin-san, but what does that have to do with me?"

Kira answered that question. "Milly, Freedom's flight data is still on record in the Archangel's archives, right? I need you to access something for me."

"Okay, that should be simple enough. There's not much on Strike Freedom anyway." She hopped into her communications chair.

"Not Strike Freedom, Milly, the original Freedom's data recorder."

The brunette paused and raised her eyebrows. "I thought you wanted that and Strike's files permanently file locked."

"I did…" He looked down. "But something has come up that only my data recorder can prove. Please, open the folder."

The entire room was silent for a few moments. "Okay, what do you want me to pull up?"

"The battle for Onogoro."

"Shit!" Athrun cursed, knowing what that meant.

"As for the time frame, start it at ten minutes before Athrun arrived, when I was fighting one on three."

"Oh Kira…." Cagalli shook her head.

"For the readouts, get me sensors, video, and audio."

"All right, I've got it." Milly looked up. "You sure you want to go through with this?" Kira nodded. "Okay then. Here it goes. Watch the main viewer."

"Agh!" Freedom went into a dive as a pink and blue beam split the sky where he was just moments before. His warning alarm went off as two more signals came up. A black hawk-like mobile suit was carrying a big turquoise one that was armed to the teeth. The rider fired two shots from its overhead cannons. Freedom's shield pulled in front just in time for Kira to block it. The black bird fired vulcans from underneath its wings, forcing the eight-winged mobile suit back.

"Haaaahhh!" Shani let loose a raspy battle cry as he whipped out his olive-green mobile suit's scythe.

"Kuso!" Kira grunted as he whipped out a beam saber on his hip like a katana, the two blades clashing in the sky. Backpedaling away from the mobile suits, he fired his overhead cannons at the olive one. The Forbidden just slid its shields in front and the beams harmlessly curved away. "What? These new mobile suits are crazy! If they keep ganging up on me like this, I'll lose for sure!"

The turquoise Calamity hopped off the back of Raider and began its descent towards earth while the hawk transformed into a mobile suit, swinging its ball hammer at Freedom. "Annihilate!" Clotho yelled his usual one word.

The ORB mobile suit batted it away with its shield, weakening it. Calamity landed on the ground in a mobile armor mode that resembled a crab. "Where are you looking?" Orga fired his beam cannons into the sky.

Kira danced away and pulled out all his hip guns and beam rifle, bringing them to bear. Calamity jumped out of the way as the discharge hit the side of the hill it was clinging to. "Watch where you're flying!" Shani and the Forbidden closed in from the side. He was about to use his melee weapon when his OS shot him a warning signal. An ORB defensive ship had launched missiles at him. "You've got to be joking." The mobile suit's helmet and shields slid into place as the Panzers started up. When the missiles impacted the charged electrical field, they detonated harmlessly. "Eat this!" A pink and blue beam launched from its core cannon and it made a tight curve above, landing on a house in a residential area. "Damn I overcompensated!" His choice at that point was to get in closer and destroy the escort ships in close combat.

"That one's leaving!" Kira noticed immediately. "I've got to take them one on one!" As he swooped over the residential area, his sensors picked up human life signs and brought up a camera locking onto them. "There are still people in this region? Why?" The small screen zoomed in on the faces, two adults, a man and a woman, and a young teen. The teen had orange hair.

Calamity fired its bazooka, and Freedom slid out of the way quickly. His computer also registered the life forms. "Huh?" Orga smiled menacingly. "Clotho, let me off." As he landed on the street, he fired another bazooka shot, not really trying to hit him this time. He put on the external speakers. "If it's cat and mouse you want to play, then maybe we need some cheese! Hahahaha!" He leveled his bazooka at the three running civilians.

"No!" Kira gasped, remembering what happened when Duel shot down the Menalaos shuttle. "Not again… not again!" He went to full burn, brandishing his shield.

Once he was fully blocking the family below, Orga smiled. "I got you!" He turned to face forward and sent his core cannon straight at the mobile suit.

"Agh!" Kira was unprepared and just blocked the shot in time, but the intensity of the blast made him lose too much ground. His mobile suit was forced back and its heels landed hard in the asphalt, sending the three people below flying. "No!"

"Obliterate!" Raider came from the side vulcans blazing. Kira took off and the bullets slid past him, entering a building and making it burst into flame that was in proximity to the family.

Kira kept an eye on the scanner as he took to the sky. "Come on, come on, get out of there!" Suddenly two of the readings just disappeared. "NO!"

Raider was the fastest and swooped in midrange, firing the high powered cannon in its face. Kira wasn't able to react in time to dodge or shield the blow. Suddenly a purple mobile suit swooped down from the sun and took the hit in its shield, reciprocating with a rifle shot of its own. "This is Athrun Zala of the ZAFT special forces."

"Okay, cut it there." Kira said quickly. Milly punched the button as the brown-haired teen sat on the CIC pit ladder and put his head in his hands.

"Kira, that was difficult to watch, for all of us." Cagalli placed a hand on his shoulder.

Kira looked up into the lights on the ceiling. "For a while I just tried to explain it away. I was out of range to get a lock on them, or the fire caused some interference, or something like that. When I finally admitted they were gone, I wondered who was the one that survived. When I met Adam I thought it was just a coincidence, and that he was someone else I had inadvertently protected. But this definitely proves it."

"So you mean that the one that survived there was Adam?" Meyrin looked back and forth between him and the blank screen.

"Yeah. There's no doubt now." Kira pinched the bridge of his nose. "I need to go lie down for a bit." He got up and everyone stepped out of the way.

Once the doors to the elevator closed behind him, the only thing that could be said belonged to Athrun. "Kira…."

After taking their leave from Cagalli, Athrun escorted Meyrin to her apartment. "Thanks for coming with me, Athrun-san. Now's not really a time when I want to be alone."

"Meyrin, that's something that doesn't need thanks. When I lost my father, Cagalli was there for me, and I was there when she lost hers. I know how you feel. Although the example is bad because Adam hasn't been lost."

"Yeah, but thank you anyway. You've always sheltered me and protected me, even from myself. And now you're doing it again."

"That's what friends do, Meyrin. That's what friends do."

As they rounded the corner a voice came to their ears. "Meyrin! Mou, open up will you? I know you're in there." Two people came into view, ringing the girl's doorbell.

"Onee-chan!" Meyrin cried as she rushed to her side.

"Ah? Meyrin!" She wrapped the girl up in her arms and held her close to her chest. "Where were you? I thought you'd be here or at the spaceport." Shinn asked.

"That would be my fault, sorry." Athrun walked up.

"Gah! Athrun!" Shinn took a step back.

"Daicho!" Luna was stunned as well. "Oops."

"Mah, don't worry about it. Adam still slips up and calls me that from time to time. Shinn, Lunamaria, you're looking well."

"Same to you." Shinn stated flatly. There was an eerie silence between the four of them.

"Okay, awkward." Luna finally broke the ice. "Meyrin, where were you?"

"Oh right." Athrun rubbed the back of his head. "We've been in meetings and things all day, trying to sort out what happened."

"Thank you so much for coming, Luna. You too Shinn." Meyrin pulled a card key out of her purse and swiped it through the reader, unlocking the door. "Come inside and we'll talk in detail."

Kira opened the door to his apartment. It wasn't much of anything really, not even decorated. His home was with the orphans, but with things going on that needed his help he had to take up temporary residence there. If he were to be honest to himself even with the orphans wasn't home, it was where Lacus was.

He walked over to the bed and plopped down facefirst, not even bothering to change his clothes. He flipped over and held his arm up. "Torii." He called his robotic pet. Nothing came. "Torii?"

A door slid open, washing the room with light. "Torii!" The bird flapped its wings and landed on his finger per usual.

"Oh, Kira!"

The teen instantly sat up and looked towards the voice. A barefoot girl wearing a bathrobe, drying her long pink hair stood there looking at him, half in relief, half in surprise. "Lacus!" He got up and ran to her, wrapping her in a tight hug.

"Oh my!" She was stunned by the unexpected move. "Konbanwa. I told you I'd be here as soon as I could."

"You have no idea how much I've missed you, Lux. I'm so glad you're here, in my arms again."

"Kira." She rested her head on his shoulder for a second.

"Auda? Tyandei! I won't admit it!" A bouncing pink ball hopped on the couch.

"And yes, I'm glad to see you too, Pink-chan."

"Haro happy, are you happy?"

"Pink-chan, go play with Torii for a bit in the other room."

"Torii!" The green bird took off for the next chamber, with the Haro rolling soon after.

After Kira let go of her, Lacus sat down on the bed and continued to dry her hair with the towel she held in her hands. "We're alone now, Kira. Please, tell me what's going on. Your pain is obvious."

"Unh." Kira sat down and leaned forward. "It all started this morning."

"How terrible." Luna rubbed Meyrin's back once she finished her tale. "To have that dropped on you so suddenly, now I understand how desperate you were to have me come."

"Unh." Meyrin nodded as she wiped a tear from her eye.

Shinn had his fingers intertwined, clenching each other tightly. "This is just too cruel. But I don't get it. If he lived down there alone, why would he say he had someone to go back to? Did he lie to us?"

"I don't think so, Shinn." Athrun stared at a wall. "If we had put him in a lie detector, he would have passed, I'm sure."

"But there are only three kinds of people that can fool a lie detector." Meyrin looked up. "People that can't be read, people that are trained to control their bodily reactions, and… and…."

"Psychopaths." Shinn and Athrun echoed each other.

"No! I won't accept that! I can't!" Meyrin quickly snapped back.

"Woah, woah! What are you talking about?"

"All signs point to him being clinically insane, Lunamaria." Athrun threw his arms over the back of his chair and looked up into the lighting. "He most likely created the illusion of his parents to keep him company while he was alone. He stayed there, alone, for two years, no contact with the outside, just pure isolation. It's purely natural that he would attempt to find some type of companionship, even if it was from his own brain."

"There wasn't a night when I was his roommate when he woke up from a terrible nightmare." Shinn stated.

"Now that you mention it… when Adam was having his apartment re-painted, he stayed with me for that week." Meyrin's statement drew out a raised eyebrow from Luna. "One morning I found him passed out on the floor reaching out towards something that wasn't there. Other nights he woke up screaming."

"That was probably reality catching up with him through his subconscious."

"He probably thought it didn't mean anything because it was a dream. But when he saw the truth confirmed in front of his eyes, it activated some type of hysteria, and his mind shut down so he could deal with it at his own pace." Athrun shook his head. "He'll be a real mess when he wakes up."

"If he wakes up." Shinn spat.

"Shinn, please!" Luna held her sister's head to her chest.

"Oh, damn, I'm sorry Meyrin, I didn't mean…."

"No, no it's okay." She pushed away from the soft cradle she was in. "I need to admit it. He may never wake up, if he doesn't want to listen to what reality tells him. I just need to hope, and pray, that we've shown him enough love that he'll want to come back." Her composure degraded as she said those words, and she dove into her sister for a safe haven.

"And that's the whole thing." Kira laid back across his bed.

"How terrible. To think he harbored such a painful secret in his young mind."

"I doubt he even knew. Companionship is essential, so he created it himself… all because of me."

"Kira! Come now, you know that…."

"I know that I fell for Calamity's trap!" Kira sat up and barked. "He was never going to shoot Adam's family, he was using them as bait for me! And because I fell into that trap he got separated from his parents in the impact, and they recieved fatal injuries!"

"But Kira…."

"That boy is in a coma and it's all my fault! If I had been able to protect them all, he wouldn't have gone psychotic, searching for companions that weren't there. I knew something was up after I met him, but I did nothing to prevent this from happening! Imagine what condition he will be in when he wakes up! IF he wakes up! Lacus, I did that to him. He's lying in that hospital bed, tied to all that equipment, because of my blunder. I couldn't defend them even with the sword you gave me." He hid his head in his hands.

"Oh Kira… You may be wise for your age, but you're still a fool sometimes." She leaned against him as she began to massage his shoulders slightly. "You know as well as I do that those Blue Cosmos pilots were unpredictable and uncontrollable. There's no guarantee that he wouldn't have shot them anyway."

"But… AGH!" Before Kira could protest, she silenced him with a hard pinch to the nerve.

"The fact of the matter is, Kira, you rushed in with the best of intentions, to protect those who couldn't protect themselves. You followed your heart and you used our sword to turn that drive into hope for others. Think about how Adam's parents feel right now, up in heaven. You may not have been able to save them, but their son lives on because of you. You had nothing but the best intentions during that fight, and you know it. No one can blame you for that, and you shouldn't do it yourself."

"…" Kira let his hands hang limp over his knees.

"Kira, you've been very noble, and you did what you thought was right. I am proud to be your fiance', and our child will grow up knowing just how proud I am of you. Okay? So cheer up, please? You can't support Adam with such a long face."

"Unh. Unh, you're right. Thank you, Lux." He kissed her softly on the lips. "I need to take a shower, wash all this anguish away." The young man stood up, shortly followed by Lacus as he walked to the bathroom door. As he crossed the doorframe he stopped in mid-step. "Wait a minute…." He whirled around. " 'Our child'?"

Lacus rubbed her flat stomach and beamed a smile. "Surprise."

Cagalli lay on her stomach, her arms crossed on her pillow, her head resting atop them. "How could this have happened? He was so innocent." Her cell phone rang. "Representative Athha…. What? For how long?" She got up quickly and got her jacket. "I'll be right there."

"I've been monitoring his brain pattern cycles, and I've got a timed pattern going." The doctor in charge of Adam stood outside his room. "Right now he's gone into a stable coma, so I called you as soon as I could."

"Thank you. Do you have the other times for when he's available to be seen?" Cagalli also stared through the window.

"I'll have it for you once you're done seeing him." He held the door open for her. "You have one hour."

She closed her eyes, straightened up, and entered. Even so, seeing Adam in the bed was much harder to deal with then she prepared for. His eyes were tightly shut, lips were purple, and his skin pale. Wires were attached between him and the vital monitors. An artificial respirator was put down his throat, and an IV in his arm. She looked away as she sat down. Before she spoke she let out a chuckle. "Of all the things I had planned to say before I came here, and I can only say… you look like shit." She paused. "Look, I… know you can hear me. It's been confirmed that comatose can hear what people say. So why don't you knock off this nonsense and wake up, huh?" There was no reaction, even from the monitors. "It hurts seeing you like this, you know. Knowing you for all these years, only to discover that such a horrid secret was buried in your heart. I…." She put a hand to her forehead. "I wanted to see your parents too, you know. The family you told me so much about. It's painful, I know, but you've got so many friends here to help you. So don't give up on life. Just work things out, alongside us, please."

The doctor opened up the door. "Time's up."

"Eh?" Cagalli looked at the clock. It was indeed an hour since she had entered. Her mind must've blanked during the pauses she took, and didn't register the gaps inbetween. "Looks like I've got to go, Adam." The ORB leader stood. "I'll make sure the others stop by your visiting hours later. Please, get better, for everyone's sake, especially Meyrin's." She went to the door and looked back at him once before shutting it. "So, do you have the schedule for tomorrow's visiting hours for…." Her muffled voice trailed off as he was left alone. His brainwave meter gave a tiny little jump.

"Gah!" A small boy with orange hair got knocked to the playground rubber.

"Heh, look at that, he couldn't even handle one punch. What a wimp!" Three taller boys loomed over him.

"What's the matter kid? I thought you were a Coordinator."

"Yeah, you should be able to take all three of us, easily."

"Wh… why are you doing this?" The child slid away, only to be followed.

"Because you're a Coordinator. You know how many times we've been victimized by the CK bullies? Now it's our turn to pay back the favor!"

"But I'm not a part of the CK!"

"No, but you're a Coordinator just the same. A so called "augmented" human. You always think you're better than us, and I can't stand for that! And since you don't have the usual Coordinator strength, we get to have some fun with you."

"Now, prepare for your punishment." The three began to pound their fists into their palms.

"I never did anything to any of you!"

"That's right!" All four turned to the voices at the side, where two tall boys and one long-haired girl stood with their arms crossed. "We did. If you want to pick a fight, do it with us. We'll be glad to give you a licking. We've even come up with a new punishment for runts like you."

"How about we duct tape you three to a ceiling fan and force feed you liver?"

The shorter boys paled. "It's the CK gang! Bail!" They shot off in the opposite direction.

The leader of the CKs laughed. "Oh I love to see those wimps run. Now who's the one that they were…" He leaned forward to get a good look at the orange-haired boy's muddy and bruised face. "I don't believe it! It's Chibi Cancho!"

"Chibi Cancho! Hahahaha!" The girl grabbed her stomach as she laughed. "We should have just left him to the dogs!"

"Um… um…. Please don't call me Chibi." The shorter boy stood up and dusted himself off.

"Whatever. If we want to call you Chibi, then that's what you are. Besides, you forget who just saved you, the least you can do is show your appreciation for our services." The leader held out his hand. Cancho looked down at his hand and then up at his face. He placed his own hand in the boy's and shook it. He was tossed to the side for the action. "How dare you! Trying to infect me with your defective genes!"

"I'm not defective." Cancho stood up again.

"And yet you have no reflexes, hand-eye coordination, strength, intelligence, or ingenuity above that of a Natural. You don't even have the courage to defend yourself. Face it, Chibi, you're a fluke. And I don't want your flukiness to be passed into me, freak."

The second boy rummaged through Cancho's bag, which was also thrown to the ground. "Boss, here you go." He chucked a brown paper bag at the large boy.

"Thanks." The gang's leader caught it without even looking. "We're taking your lunch as payment for the rescue. Do us a favor and get beat up again tomorrow."

"No!" Cancho rushed forward and jumped for the meal.

"Oopsy!" The leader tossed the package to the next person over.

"Give it back!" Adam dove for the bag again and it sailed through the air, the game of keep away beginning.

"Looks like we've found something that will actually get you to react, Chibi Ca-." The leader's thought was stopped as a fist connected with his cheek, Cancho going for the receiver, instead of the object.

"Don't call me Chibi."

The hit only stunned him for a second, then he retaliated with a strong uppercut to the chin, sending him sailing to the ground. "The little runt actually started fighting back! Kaylie!" He tossed the package to the girl.

Cancho got up and wiped the blood off his lip, going for the girl next. She simply stepped to the side and landed a karate chop on his shoulder. "This is too easy. Wash, finish him off." She said as the meal was passed on to the second boy.

Cancho pushed himself up and got a target. He ran straight for him and jumped, taking a swing at his face. Wash leaned back slightly to let the attack skim passed his nose. The boy slammed his fist into the orange-haired child's stomach. "Guuueeaaaaaaahhh!" The boy vomited all over the bully before he hit the ground.

"Dammit, he puked on me! Gah! Mal, take him out, I need to wash this off." He tossed the food to the leader before wandering towards the nearest restroom.

Mal walked up to the orange haired boy as he lay face first on the ground. "Looks like its over. He put up more of a fight than last time. He-" THWAP! Cancho's foot slammed into Mal's leg, even though it didn't budge.

"My lunch…."

"This kid…. Don't you know when to give up?" He lifted his other foot back. THWAP!

Another foot attacked him. Its owner jumped up and slammed a palm into his chest. "HA!" Mal lost his grip on the lunch bag and the figure caught it on its way back down. "So this is the CK gang. I'd heard about you." A feminine, though rough, voice came out of the figure's mouth.

"Mal!" Kaylie ran to his side as he sat up. "You bitch!" The girl's long hair waved as she ran towards the newcomer.

"No Kay, don't! She's…." But it was too late. The girl jumped and sent a knee into Kaylie's stomach and backhanded her fist into the attacker's cheek, sending her spiraling to the ground.

"Kuso!" Kaylie got up and rubbed the blood from her lip. "Mal, what are you doing? We can take her if we go at once."

"No, we can't."

"What?"

"Don't you know who that is? She's Cagalli Yula Athha!"

"Eh? The princess?"

"Retreat. That's an order."

The long haired girl snarled. "We'll be back!" She and Mal headed off towards the nearest exit.

"And I'll be waiting!" Cagalli called back at them. "Losers." She turned to the child behind her. "You okay? They were pretty rough on you there. Do we need to get you to the nurse?" The boy was speechless, but managed to shake his head no before he stood up. "Oh here, I believe this is yours." She handed him the bag and pulled out a handheld computer from her pocket. "Let's see here. Oh, here we go. Adam Cancho, age 10, only child of Peter and Marissa Cancho. Parents employed in Astray R&D. Oh, those Canchos? My father had a meeting on his schedule with them today." She narrated the readout on her screen as he picked up his backpack. "Well Adam, the name's Cagalli, nice to meet you. Sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier, but I think stopping them from putting you in the hospital was more important."

Adam took his lunch bag and put it at her feet, silently, and backed away. "Hmm?" She tilted her head.

"Take it. I don't want any more trouble." He whispered.

Cagalli sighed and shook her head, picking up the bag and heading straight for him. Adam backed away as fast as he could, but wound up hitting a wall. She shoved the bag back into his hands and held out her own. "Cell phone." Adam gasped. "Your cell phone. You do have one, right?" He nodded and reluctantly pulled it from a pocket in his bag. She took it from him. "Nice, it matches your hair really well." She began to cycle through the menus as he began to slink away. "Hold it!" She grabbed his collar with her free hand. Adam struggled for a moment, but quickly gave up. "Here." She put the phone back in his hands and let him go. He looked at it and the new name in his address book, ZRoyalPainZ. Then he looked up at her, inquisitively. She held up her own cell. "If you ever are troubled by those bullies again, call that number, and you'll get put through directly to me. I'll give them a big case of Royal Pain if they cause any more trouble just because you're a Coordinator." She gave him a quick wink. "Ja na." Cagalli gave a quick wave as she turned around and started to walk off.

"Um… h…hey…." Adam finally found his voice.

"He speaks!" She smiled, stopping, but not turning around.

"Why?"

Cagalli sighed, turning around and walking back to him. She sat down and leaned her back against the brick. "I'm Uzumi Nara Athha's daughter, Cagalli Yula Athha. I'm next in line for the throne. I've always been raised in the ideals of ORB, and I believe them with all my heart. We're one of the only nations that have peaceful and equal relations between Naturals and Coordinators. Even so, there is still so much hate between the two. You got beat up because you're a Coordinator that lacks a Coordinator's abilities. That CK gang beats up Naturals because they can. That's what I want to put a stop to."

"But this…" He pointed to his cell.

"If you can't run from them, and you obviously can't defeat them physically, then influence is the only way to go. What they're doing is not only against school rules, but is an illegal act in ORB in general. If they make a wrong move, they and their families will be punished for it. Simple as that." She stood up and stretched. "I need to get going."

As she began to walk away, Adam spoke again. "Um… arigato…."

Cagalli smiled, and a thought entered her head. She turned around. "Tell ya what. Why don't we meet here every Wednesday and we can talk. I'd like to hear more about you, especially what it's like to have a family. Remember, all I have is my father, and he's too busy running a nation. That and those guys." She pointed to the bushes and snapped her fingers. Three men in camouflage fell out of the flora. "Security guards. Such a pain in the ass sometimes."

"No strings?"

"No strings, I just want to talk."

"Okay, I guess."

"Well then it's settled. See you next Wednesday." She ran off to meet with the men.

"Unh… thank you." Adam looked at his phone again. "ORB's princess…. Cagalli Yula Athha…. Cagalli-sama… Cagalli-san…." Suddenly he jolted, a memory came to him, of the same girl only years older. Two others as well, one with brown hair, one with pinkish-red. Kira, Meyrin, those were their names. Darkness, confusion, odor. Then light, crosses, pain. Pain! Fear! Fire! It became too much for him as he blacked out.

It was the next day before anyone could see Adam. Cagalli sent out a text to all necessary cell phones and they all met in the waiting room. Well, almost all of them. "Where the hell is Kira?" The princess grumbled as she paced. "He's never late."

"Maybe he overslept? You know how lazy he is when he's depressed, Cagalli." Athrun shrugged.

"Yeah, I know, I know, but still…."

"Cagalli-san, don't be too hard on him, please." Meyrin left her sister's side for a second. "Everyone's been too hard on themselves already, so please…."

"Yeah, yeah you're right. I shouldn't be so rough on him." She continued pacing. "Ugh! When he gets here I'm going to beat him half to death!"

"CAGALLI-SAN!" Meyrin, Luna, and Shinn yelled at her.

"What? That's in comparison to usually full death."

Athrun just laughed out loud, but paused has his phone rang. "Zala… oh, Kira!" All eyes were instantly on him. "Where are you? What do you mean you can't say? Whatever, when are you getting here? Again with the can't say? Kira, what's going on? Kira? Kira!" He closed up the cell with a hard slap. "The ass hung up on me! I'm going to finish the job Cagalli starts next I see him."

"ATHRUN!!!" Luna, Cagalli, and Meyrin yelled all at once. Shinn was the only one left laughing.

"Well without Kira here, I guess that means we should decide who goes in before the window closes." Cagalli stated. "I already went last night, so I'm stepping out."

"So shall we do a Rock-Paper-Scissors/Odd Finger combo to determine this?" Luna raised her fist.

Everyone shrugged. It was the only idea they could come up with. "Sai shoa guu. Jan, Ken, Pon!" Three stepped out. "The odd finger is it!"

"Well I guess it's me then." Shinn scratched the back of his neck.

"You sure you're up for it, Shinn?" Luna looked at him with real concern.

"Dunno, but I think I'll be fine. Adam may be the only thing left from ORB besides this," He held up Mayu's old cell. "But I know he's not going to kick, no matter what shape he's in. He's the type that just won't die."

"Shinn!" Luna hissed.

"What? It's true. I mean let's recap what he's survived. The Onogoro invasion, having a battleship dropped on him, an overloading Lohengrin, his own mobile suit exploding, the battle with Destroy, the fission backlash of a Tannhauser hitting the water, and the final battle of the war."

Everyone blinked for a second as he finished counting off his fingers. "He's right." Luna admitted.

"Onee-chan!" Meyrin smacked her for being the first to admit it.

"That's almost scary, really." Cagalli nodded.

"He's got more plot armor than Kira." Athrun agreed.

Everyone had their eyes on Athrun again. "Plot armor?"

"You know, the main character has to survive everything until the end of the series at the least. Kira has more shielding than all the contents of the mobile suit hangar combined."

About an hour away, Kira sneezed. "Bless. You coming down with a cold, Kira?" Lacus pulled out a hankie and handed it to him.

"Nope, just some idiot talking about me again." He blew.

Shinn sat down next to the comatose orange-head. "You look like shit." He paused, looking at the monitor for some sign that his brain registered it. "Look, Adam, I admit I've not been the best of friends to you since we met up again. I want you to know I'm sorry, and I want to make up for that. But that won't happen if you don't get out of that bed." He rested his elbows on his knees. "You know I of all of us understand what's going on in there. But you can't shut yourself off to deal with it. Sure, my way was just as bad, but there are a ton of people outside of this room just waiting for you to go to them. Me included." Shinn pulled out a tissue from his pocket. "You've just got to recover. You just have to. Adam, you're a reminder of the good times to me, and I don't want to lose that. I don't want to lose you. So just wake up and tell me that you won't die, even if it's just for a second."

He pulled out Mayu's cell and hit the voicemail. "Hi, you've reached Mayu's cell. I'm not here right now, so leave a message after the beep and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Buh-bye!"

"Um, hey Mayu, it's me, Adam. You know, Adam Cancho, Shinn's friend? I was just calling on my old cell to check up on my friends. If you can, call me back okay? Thanks." It was Adam's voice.

"Surprised I didn't delete it?" Shinn laughed as he shut the phone and put it away. "Don't be. I wanted to keep a part of you with me, just in case I lost you too. Do me a favor and don't turn into just a voicemail message. Come back." He just sat there next to him for the remaining time, hoping to catch him waking up. Instead the doctor went to fetch him.

An orange-haired boy laid back on the soft grass, his hands behind his head. He smiled as he gazed at the leaves in the forest that were changing to match his hair and other autumnal colors. Next to him lay another boy with black hair, napping peacefully in the same position. They were both at peace, and nothing could get them down. Nothing, except a young girl with just over shoulder length brown hair.

She tiptoed alongside black-haired boy, putting her finger to her mouth to shush the boy who was looking at her. He nodded. He'd never pass up seeing a prank in progress, and she knew it. The girl lifted up a wad of dry fallen leaves in her arms and quickly dropped them onto the sleeping child's face.

"Pwah!" He jolted awake, spitting out a leaf, and shaking out his hair as he sat up.

"Bleah!" The girl pulled her lower eyelid down as she stuck her tongue out.

"Why you little!" The boy jumped up, and with a little squeak from the girl they were off, one chasing the other. "I've got you!" He said as she went around a tree. They were like playful squirrels, peeking out one side or another. When their faces came out from the same side, she stuck her tongue out again. "Oi, Mayu!"

"You can't catch me, Shinn!" The girl giggled as she twirled around, taunting him.

The child left on the grass laughed out loud as he watched the antics. He sighed and closed his eyes. "If only days like this could last forever." He slowly nodded off in the warm sun.

Meanwhile Shinn had finally caught Mayu and began a tickling frenzy. "There's no escape for you!"

"Hahahahaha, I give! I give!" She wriggled, trying to get away from his grip.

He stopped and rubbed her head. "You've been spending too much time around Adam."

"And you haven't? That was to get you back from pouring juice in my cereal instead of milk yesterday!"

"Come on, you were practically ASKING for that one. Were you even awake?"

"Wait, why are we arguing over this? You know who the REAL culprit is, right?" Mayu nodded towards Adam's way.

Shinn turned around and smiled an almost sinister grin. "Mayu, you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"I'm not your sister for nothing." She picked up another armful of leaves. "Let's go."

She and Shinn tiptoed up to the napping boy. Shinn nodded and Mayu released the leaves, sending them plummeting to Adam's face. "Gwah!" He sat up like a rocket and looked around wildly. Shinn got a good laugh as Mayu took a picture with her cell phone while holding in a chuckle. "That's it, you two are so getting it!" Adam sprung to his feet and gave chase.

"You know you'll never catch us with those legs of yours!" Shinn took Mayu's hand and picked up speed.

"Oh really?" Adam spoke a lot closer then they expected.

"Eh?" The siblings said at once, before he tackled them both at the same time and the three of them went rolling down a small hill. When they finally stopped moving, they all were looking into the sky, laughing like idiots.

"How… how did you do that?" Shinn panted.

"Do what?" Adam swallowed, trying to get more moisture to his mouth.

"The running thing. Whe…when did you… get that fast?" Mayu sat up. "God, I'm beat."

"I don't really know." Adam propped up on his elbows. "I guess my legs got stronger lately. Guess I'm a late bloomer."

Shinn put his hands behind his head. "Well everyone is different. It took Mayu all of two seconds to learn how to work a cell phone, without even seeing one before."

"While you're still learning how to open it up!" Mayu poked his side.

"Ouch." Shinn said in mock disappointment.

A warm breeze caressed the hill, and Adam ran a hand through his hair. "If only it would be like this forever."

"Huh?" The sibs asked.

"It's just that this moment, right now, seems so perfect." Adam sighed. "I just want it to stay like this, forever."

"Unh." The other two agreed, watching the clouds pass by.

"But it won't, will it?" Mayu asked.

"No, it won't." Adam closed his eyes. "The seasons will change, we'll grow up, and attempt to find purposes to our lives."

"Oh great, he's getting all philosophical again." Shinn rolled his eyes. "So Adam Freud, here's some counter-logic for you. If you know that the perfect moments won't last, then enjoy them to the best of your abilities, while they last."

"I know, and I doubt I'll ever forget today, but," He turned to the two of them. "We'll always be together, right?" The others in the party blinked. "I mean, you know how much I was picked on when I was younger. You two are my only true friends, save one, and she's gone to study abroad. I want more perfect moments, like this, just the three of us."

Shinn closed his eyes and smiled. "What are you going on about, moron? Of course we'll be together."

"Yeah, that's right. We've got a bond that surpasses all, true friendship will always bring us back together." Mayu balled her fists and nodded emphatically.

"That sounded really cheesy, Mayu." Shinn raised an eyebrow.

"I know, but it's all I've got. And I really mean it too. Let's swear to each other, right here, that no matter what happens, we will always reunite, and create more perfect moments."

Adam whispered to Shinn. "She just got all weird and passionate all of a sudden."

"Must be a schoolgirl promise thing." He whispered back. "I've seen it all the time in Anime, just go with it."

"Okay then." Adam put his hand forward. "As best friends, in this place…."

"None loved less than another, we hereby swear..." Mayu's hand was next on the pile.

"To definitely return to this place together…." Shinn added his hand.

"So we can make even more perfect memories." They all spoke at once, adding their other hands to the mix.

A breeze blew through as they sat there. They all blinked in turn. "Does anyone else think that was a bit much?" Adam asked.

"Yeah, I think I may have just got diabetes." Shinn put down his hands.

"I admit that went over my usual quota of cheesiness. Sorry guys." Mayu shrugged.

"Hey! What are you three doing over there?" Shinn's mother waved to them as his dad set the plates on the picnic table. "The food's almost ready, come over and give us a hand, okay?"

"Be right there, okaa-san!" Mayu called back as she stood. "Even so, we did promise, right?" She tilted her head to the side and let out a small giggle.

"Mayu and I will help set up the table, Adam." Shinn stated as he stretched. "You see if your folks need a hand with the barbecue."

"Yokhai." Adam mock-saluted as he hopped to his feet and jogged towards the cooking. "Hey, Mom, Dad, need a hand over…" He stopped as he came into view of them. His parents, or what he assumed to be his parents, were just standing there, consumed in fire, their flesh being burnt off of their bones. He went to his knees and covered his mouth as bile came to his throat. Blackness overtook him as he finally let go.

Shinn pulled out Mayu's cell phone and cycled through the pictures, until he found the photo she took of Adam, coated in leaves. He hung his head and started sobbing. "Shinn…." Lunamaria wrapped an arm around him.

"After all that, we really did come back, just like we promised." He passed her the phone, and showed her the image. "But it is far from a perfect memory. I'm sorry, Adam, Mayu…."

"Oh, Shinn…." She drew him to her chest and let him cry, knowing that his tears wouldn't stop until his energy was gone.

The next window was a couple of hours later, as Adam's brain activity spiked right after Shinn left. This also gave Shinn the opportunity to calm down and compose himself a little better. "Sai shoa guu. Jan, Ken, Pon! The odd finger is it!"

"Well, that settles that." Luna picked up the light jacket she had worn from her chair. "I'm next." She patted Shinn on the shoulder.

"Ah. Good luck." He said, giving her hand a light squeeze.

"Athrun-san," Luna turned to her former commander/love interest/opponent, "I'm leaving you in charge of Meyrin until I get back. If she isn't cheerful by the time I come back, you'll be in the room next to Adam's."

"Hey, what am I, some toddler that needs to be babysat?" Meyrin crossed her arms and pouted.

"And why am I the one being threatened here?" Athrun raised.

"Well, I'm off." Luna dashed out of the waiting room.

"Lunamaria!"

"Onee-chan!"

"Oh just leave her be." Shinn said as he opened up a can of soda. "She's just trying to do her best for all of us. She's always been like that."

When Luna saw Adam lying there, helpless, clinging to life, a shiver went up her spine. She quickly put her jacket on before she sat down. "Well Adam, I've got to admit it, you look like shit." She paused for a reaction. "This is the part where you're supposed to say something like, 'Gee Luna, you don't exactly look like a million bucks yourself.' But I guess your comedic timing is a bit off at the moment."

She stared at him, not moving. She didn't even remember if she was blinking or not. "Adam, you're not the only one suffering here. Seeing you like this is not something I can take easily. You were always the energetic one, the funloving one, the prankster. In battle you helped cover everyone's asses, and even when I was trying to kill you, you still held off and tried to protect me." She sniffled a little. "I never even got the chance to properly apologize for that. Don't tell me it's too late for it now, okay? You've got to come back, for all our sakes."

She sat there and waited for an answer. As she composed herself, she got more and more irritated at the silence. "Are you just going to lie there and waste away? In case you have forgotten, my sister LOVES you! And if you ever hurt her I'll take you off life support with my own hands! I won't stand for her suffering day in and day out praying for your recovery, so get the fuck out of that bed!"

The doctor burst in. "What the hell are you doing? This is a hospital! I could hear you from two floors up! Calm down, or I'll have to throw you out."

"S…s…sorry." Luna took a breath as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "I got a little too emotional. I'd better go." She rested her hand on the doorframe. "Adam, even though I didn't say it, I was depending on you back then. There are still people depending on you now." She left without another word.

"Honestly, what was that about?" The doctor rubbed the back of his head. "I don't suppose you want to tell me, eh?" He spoke to Adam. "Didn't think so." He said when no response came.

Adam whistled as he walked through the corridors of Minerva. He stopped in front of some quarters and reached for the doorbell. Unwittingly he hit the button that opened the door instead of the doorbell. "KUSO!" A female voice yelled as a data pad went soaring into the air. The projectile smacked Adam in the forehead and made him lose his balance, slamming his head into the back wall. "Eh? Oh crap, Adam!"

"Itte!" The boy said when he came to.

"Mou! Don't scare me like that!"

His eyes began to focus on the person above him. "Lunamaria?"

"Yeah, that's me. Now hold still while I put on this bandage." She put a small piece of gauze on his forehead and taped it.

"What happened? Where am I?"

"You're in my quarters. I had accidentally thrown a data pad at you when you opened the door. When you smashed your head into the bulkhead it must've been enough to knock you out. Fortunately it's not bleeding back there, but that'll be one big lump for a while."

Adam reached back behind his head and flinched. "Yowch."

"Just relax for a minute, and I'll get you some ice."

"Ice would help. Thanks." He sat up slowly, still a little dizzy.

"Here you go." Luna came back with a bag.

Adam took it and placed it behind his head. He winced with the initial contact, but that went away quickly. "Arigato."

"So, mind telling me why you were opening my door?" Luna got up and went to her computer terminal.

"Oh that, I was aiming for the doorbell, but I guess I missed my target. I was here to see Meyrin, since I was off my shift. Where is she?"

"She's pulling a double shift today. The secondary crewman was stupid enough to go for seconds on the Tuna Fish Tacos."

"Damn." Adam shuddered. "That can't be pretty."

"The rumor is that the doctor needed to pump his stomach."

"Double damn. But now it's my turn. You want to tell me what turned your pad into a dart?"

"Here." She sighed and handed another pad to him, before putting her head down.

"What's this?" He examined it, finding a list of women's names, two of them were crossed out in glowing red.

"I've been trying to lobby for more female mobile suit pilots in the ZAFT military. Did you know that the ratio for women getting into the pilot training academy is only 20, and only half that manage to graduate?"

"Actually, I didn't. Is the training academy that tough?"

"It is for women. The whole system is a scam. Basically the only way you can get in is if you have a pair of balls between your legs, either that or do sexual favors to the brass. Fortunately I did neither, and worked my way through the gauntlet. They had no choice but to pass me. Now I want to have the system overhauled so it won't be so totally sexist."

"But I thought sexism was basically eliminated before the Cosmic Era."

"Heh, if you think that, you need a re-education. Ever since the process for making Coordinators went public, society realized just how necessary women were. Artificial wombs were deadly to the fetus, so Coordinators could only be created by women giving birth to them. Because of that, mankind re-affirmed the 'purpose' for women to be barefoot and pregnant. We fought long and hard to get back on relatively even ground from that, but even so, things like this still exist."

"Wow, I know I was under a rock for a year or two, but this is totally nuts. How come I never heard of this?"

"Because history never wants to acknowledge its mistakes." Luna shrugged. "For the pilot academy, they say they're attempting to preserve the lives of all Coordinators. But in reality they're trying to keep women out so they can MAKE lives."

"That's harsh."

"It's especially hard for Meyrin and myself. We almost had to go to court to enlist."

"What? Why?"

"Meyrin and I are 'breeding' Coordinators. It's very rare actually, a genetic fluke, but one that they don't want to risk losing."

"A 'breeding' Coordinator?"

"The scientific explanation for it would take too long, but in layman's terms, Meyrin and I could survive having a baby once a year every year with literally no side effects. Since we're so rare, and Coordinators can only reproduce for so many generations…."

"You're a hot commodity."

"Bingo."

"Does Meyrin know this?"

"No." Luna shook her head. "And best not to tell her. I kept it from her so she wouldn't have to go through everything I did."

"I can understand that. You must've had it rough. But you broke through those barriers, something to be really proud of, right? I still don't get why you were mad enough to throw things."

"The pad I gave you was an activist list that I organized. Women who want reforms in PLANT government. The problem is that with every new member I get, two more drop off. This time it was two women in Chairman Dullindal's personal staff. To have two people so close to the leader of PLANT would have really opened eyes, but now they're pulling out and I can't make sense of it."

"I see what you mean. There anything I can help with?"

Luna shook her head. "You're sweet, but currently there isn't anything. A hardened heart can't be won. But I'm sure I'll count on you later on." She winked.

"Unh. Just leave it to me." Adam pounded his chest proudly, but his heart throbbed painfully.

"_Adam, I'll leave the rest to you."_ A voice echoed through his head before he crashed to the floor.

Luna went back to the waiting room in silence. Everyone else was doing there own thing, but when the door opened, all eyes were on her. She didn't want the attention, she felt like a fool. She snapped and was ready to punch a helpless comatose boy, let alone the boyfriend of her little sister.

Continuing to the seats, she placed herself next to Shinn, rested her head on his shoulder, and closed her eyes. The teen reached around with his free hand and stroked her hair, allowing her to drift off to dreamland, where her troubles couldn't touch her.

"Sai shoa guu. Jan, Ken, Pon!" There was no reason for the Odd Finger. Only Athrun and Meyrin were left.

"Gomen, Meyrin." Athrun looked away. "Looks like I go."

"It's okay, Athrun-san." She nodded. "In a way it helps me, because I can prepare a little more."

"Yeah, lucky for you. While I don't really get to prepare at all. I don't even know what I'm going to say to him."

"Athrun, no one here has known what they were going to say to Adam." Shinn looked out the window. "I know you and how you like to strategize, keeping one step ahead of the enemy, but when you're in there, the enemy is yourself, and you can't outsmart yourself. Just talk, don't think about it, just talk."

"Ah, you're probably right, Shinn. That's the second time you've given me really good advice. Keep it up and you might make a good advisor some day." Athrun turned and gave a quick wave before pocketing his hands.

"Well, the first thing that comes to mind is…." Athrun took a breath. "You look like shit, Adam." Nothing came from either of them for a while. "Shinn said for me to talk, but that's really not my style. I was never really a sociable person, quiet, softspoken. Quite the opposite of you, in fact. When I said I admired Heine Westenfluss, I think I was speaking to you as well. I admire you for your strength, and the ability to laugh at most situations. The time on the deck of Minerva, with the whole shoveling joke was priceless.

"Adam, I'm sure I know what's going on in your head right now. You're devastated, alone, no one can help you, so you closed yourself off to deal with it yourself. You couldn't be further from the truth. I'm the proof. I felt the same way, when my mother was caught in Bloody Valentine. My father was never there, he had a military and a nation to run. I ran to the military for revenge, and a coping mechanism." He smiled slightly. "Heh. And after all that I wound up taking an opposing side, instead of fighting against my best friend, I fought with him. But the point is, there are far too many people who have lost someone dear to them. Me, Cagalli, Shinn, even Kira and Milly. Don't shut us out."

The doctor came in after a long silence. "It's… time to go."

Athrun nodded. "We're all here, and we're all real, Adam. Most importantly, we're ready to help. Think about that."

"Morning, Daicho." Adam said as he walked into the pilot's lounge, in full flight suit.

Athrun put down the book he was reading. "I thought I told you to call me Athrun."

"You're my commanding officer, and I have the highest respect for you. It wouldn't be right to call you just Athrun." Adam said as he punched a button on the vending machine he went to. He popped open the can of orange soda as he turned around. "Besides, I think Daicho has a nice ring to it."

Athrun sighed. "You're not going to give that up, are you?"

"Nope." Adam said as he hopped onto the sofa. "Looks like we're on standby duty again. Good to work with you, let's hope nothing happens today as well."

"Same here. Although I remember you were itching for a fight the first time."

"Ugh, don't remind me. So what are you reading there?"

"A book on prejudices. I figure if we can find out why the Naturals hate Coordinators so much, then we can figure out ways to appease them."

"Yeah, I don't get it either. We've rescued an island of enslaved workers, freed a villiage from tyranny, and even helped to liberate a major port. What's more is that we've publicized it literally around the world, and yet the majority of the world still hates us. Why?"

"Racism is an ugly thing." Athrun sighed as he turned the page.

"Racism? Wasn't that when people of different colored skin fought with each other and were denied equality? Wasn't that basically eliminated before Coordinators began to show up?"

"It was. But Coordinators are now considered another race, and we're a minority."

"But why racism?"

"Well I suppose it could fall under the category of ableism as well, at least in the definition from this book. It more falls under racism in my opinion though. Ableism is when people gain more resources and chances to succeed due to their abilities, and people who are disabled or challenged are either denied them or cannot access them, while racism is a hatred and/or fear of one group of people in comparison to another based on where they're from.

"During the era of American expansion, most white people considered darker-skinned people inhuman. Technically it's no different now. Since most Coordinators are born and live in space, they're treated like outsiders, because Naturals are mainly born on the Earth."

"But people like Shinn and I were born on Earth."

"That's the problem with generalization. Remember, the term 'African-American' was the description of choice for all darker skinned people, even if they weren't from Africa. The word 'Coordinator' to them means space-born people, while to us, 'Natural' means Earth-bound people, even though I know some Naturals who live and work in PLANT."

"So even though we're doing good things for the Naturals, they still will continue fighting us, not even listening to our own words?"

"I wouldn't say that. I'm sure a majority of Naturals don't even care about the difference, it's just that the more radical sects control the military. You remember the Lodonia Lab, right?"

Adam shuddered. "Not a good memory, that Blue Cosmos Lab."

Athrun nodded. "Blue Cosmos is as radical as they come. Remember they had a hit list of all known Coordinators on Earth. They're basically a more extreme version of what the Klu Klux Klan was back when the Atlantic Federation was the United States. They want every single Coordinator dead or dying, and will do anything to complete that mission."

"Damn… so there's no hope of winning this?"

"I'm afraid not. Even if we eliminated Blue Cosmos, there would still be people living that would hate and despise Coordinators. I'm sure that there are even some people out there that want to kill their colored neighbors. What's worse is that racism only breeds racism. In PLANT there is anti-Natural sentiment all over, and there is even a sect that was just as extreme, if not moreso, than Blue Cosmos."

"Eh? Really?"

"I suppose you could consider them a more extreme version of the Black Power movement with Malcom X. They constructed and used the GENESIS weapon, an irradiator so powerfull that one blast could have devastated the Earth's atmosphere, and during the battle of Jackin Due, they intended to do just that."

"No way!" Adam was stunned. "Who would give the order to make something like that, let alone fire it?"

Athrun closed the book. "My father." Adam's eyes went wide. "Patrick Zala, husband to Lenore Zala, father of Athrun Zala, leader of the ZAFT military, PLANT's Supreme Chairman, and the man with the most hatred towards Naturals. Before he got a chance to fire GENESIS at Earth, he was betrayed by one of his own staff in his dying breath. It saved us all, but I was there when my father took his last breath. 'Fire GENESIS. Preserve our way of life.' I doubt he even realized that it was me. He was so blinded that he couldn't see his own son."

"Athrun-san… I'm so sorry… I…"

"You didn't know, I can't blame you. I've been fighting him myself, determined not to live in his shadow. That's why I've been reading this book, to learn how to prevent it."

"What's the name of that book anyway? I'd like to read it some time."

"_Oppression in Anime and How It Affects Our World_ by Professor Philip Poczik. I'll loan it to you once I'm finished."

"Hey thanks, for everything." Suddenly an alarm rang through the ship. A large impact threw Adam to concrete. As he looked up, he saw Freedom's heel dig a large hole in the ground. "Wh…what…?" He passed out.

After a small dinner, and a lot of meditating, it was finally Meyrin's turn to go in. She had stopped at the door, holding onto the handle, not knowing what condition she'd see him in. The girl started to regret eating, as vomiting came easily to her. Her reddish pigtails waved as she raised her head quickly. It was now or never.

She opened the door, closed it, and sat down in a whirlwind. It was only then that she looked up at him, and she bit her lower lip to keep sane. He was as Cagalli had seen him, pale, weak, his body hooked up to mechanisms of all types. Meyrin reached out her hand, and held back for a second, for fear that touching him would break him. She knew it was a foolish thought, and forced herself to place her palm on his hand, and slipped her other under it.

"Everyone was right. You look like shit." She spoke softly, trying not to disturb him. "I mean I've seen you in bad scrapes before, like when you were recovering after Falcon exploded, but you never looked like this.

"Oh Adam, what happened to you?" She tightened her grip. "What could have made you run to the back of your mind and leave me here, alone? You've always defended me, protected me. I love you, and you love me, that's what brings us together. But now I feel so isolated, now that you're lying here like this. I don't even feel you, your presence in my chest. You've closed off. Please open up for me again." She began what she knew was inevitable from the start, she cried. "You don't have to hide, and be strong for me. Just this once, let me be strong for you. Come out, so I can hold you again. I need you."

For the rest of the time she just sat there, her head resting on his bed, her hair brushing his arm, continuing to sob. Not even the doctor disturbed her, even after the allotted time was up. He just stood outside the door and waited, knowing that patients of the heart take longer to heal than patients of the body.

On his way to lunch, Adam passed the ladies bathroom. "PLEAAAHHH!"

He halted in midstep. "That sounded like Meyrin."

"Come on, just one more time!" She said as she began to gag.

He slammed open the door. "Meyrin are you okay in…." She squeaked as he saw her with her finger down her throat, hanging over the sinks. His eyes went extremely wide and he rushed up to her, forcing her hand out of her mouth and restraining her.

"PL…" She began to bend over the sink.

He clamped his hand over mouth and forced her jaw shut. "Swallow it." She shook her head. "SWALLOW IT!" She winced as she obeyed, forcing the vile taste back into her stomach.

When she went limp he released her and she began to cough as she collapsed to the floor. "What the hell do you think you were doing? You could have choked me there!"

"I could ask the same thing!" He went to the wall and ripped out the first aid kid residing in the inset. He pulled out a paper cup and filled it with sink water. "Drink. Get the taste out of your mouth." He said as he handed her the cup. She looked and sniffed at it for a second before downing it. "Meyrin, how long has this been going on?"

"A few months, two or three at most."

"So more like six months."

"Weren't you listening at all? I said two or three-."

His hand swiped her cheek, hard. "AHOU KA?! Do you have any idea the damage you're doing?"

"I'm not doing any damage! I'm improving!"

"What kind of improvement has your own stomach acid eating away at your esophagus?"

"Isn't it obvious?" She opened her ZAFT uniform and stood up, in front of the mirror. "My stomach is all pudgy, I've got six extra centimeters on my waist, my butt is big and saggy, and my bustline is too small." She sighed as Adam stood up behind her. "And now that I look at it, I've got jowls too."

"So you think puking up your food is going to make you improve?"

"It has to. Nothing else has worked!"

"How is that supposed to make your boobs grow or make your ass firm up, huh?" He turned her around and grabbed her shoulders. "Also, where the hell are you getting this ridiculous basis of your imperfections from?"

"Lumi…."

"What does Lunamaria have to do with this?"

"She's a total babe, that's what! She's slim and athletic, her butt is nice and tight, her boobs are huge and firm, and she's got perfect skin. I can't even fit into her miniskirt. It's not fair."

"Meyrin…."

"She doesn't have to take care of her body, and never even wears makeup. She can eat anything she wants and still she'll stay the same size, while I blow up like a balloon. Her hair is naturally soft and shiny, and only needs a quick shampoo. I have to use three different conditioners to get even CLOSE to her level, and I need to wear all this makeup on my face just to get a semblance of her beauty."

"You…."

She didn't let him continue as she spun back to the mirror and pounded her wrists onto the sink. "It's not fair! We've got the same blood running through our veins, the same genes, why is it that she gets the beauty while I get… get… this?!"

"What's wrong with this?" Adam wrapped his arms around her in a gentle caress. "I happen to like it."

"But everyone wants Luna. All eyes are on her when we're together. I can't match her."

"Meyrin, it's not fair for you to try and match her. For one thing, she's got a year and a half extra on you. Which means she hit puberty earlier than you, started to develop earlier than you, and will also end earlier than you. You're also growing, you know, your body is changing constantly, even without your anorexia. You might catch up with her, hell you might even surpass her, just give it some time."

"But I want that type of body now! I can't go wait an extra year and a half to turn heads. Admit it, you'd want to get with her if you had a chance, Adam!"

"Oh, she's a good looking woman all right Meyrin, but that doesn't mean I want to sleep with her. She's not my type at all, and I knew that when I first met her. So what if she's got a cup size larger or a few inches less on her waist. Are you worried that she might steal me away or something?"

"Well… yes!"

"Not gonna happen. I find you to be just perfect as is. And who knows? Maybe after you two finish puberty, she'll be the one to blow up like a balloon and you'll be the one that's slim and sexy."

"Heh, with my luck I'll be the one that's fat and waddling around."

"And I'd still love you, Meyrin."

"Why would you stick with a fat cow?"

"Because you're you. Any changes that your body will make is okay with me as long as you stay the person I first met. Some person on the street might judge you sexy or ugly as they walk by, but in the end that doesn't matter does it? You wouldn't want to marry a guy just because he thinks you've got a really great rack or a hot rump, would you?"

"Well no I…."

"Meyrin, please refrain from speaking when I'm stating rhetorical questions. Did I think you were cute when I first met you? Yes. But I would NEVER have fallen for you if it weren't for the personality you showed me you had inside."

"Adam… do you really like me like this?"

He nodded. "I'll let you in on a little secret. When I first came on board, Luna told me that she's noticed a lot of the crew checking you out, and was feeling kind of jealous."

"Eh? Her?"

"Yeah, she always felt that she was considered a rough and tough tomboy. Granted a tomboy with boobs, but a tomboy none the less. She thinks you get more attention than she does."

"I had no idea." She looked into the mirror, and realized she was crying. "Damn it, now my mascara is running."

"Way ahead of you." Adam was wetting a wad of paper towels. "Here, use this and cool your head."

"Thanks." She dabbed it lightly on her face.

"Come on! Really work it in!" Adam slapped his hand on the towels and began rubbing furiously. Her complaints were muffled as he continued. When he finished, he held up the towels for her to see. "Ta-da."

"Ah! My makeup!" All of it was removed from her face by the tricky prankster.

Adam stepped aside and let her see herself in the mirror. "You see Meyrin, you don't need makeup. That face right there is the one I love." She stared at herself, wide-eyed, bringing a couple of fingers down her cheek. "You've got a natural glow to you. Why would you want to cover that up?" He whispered into her ear before turning her to face him. "This is the Meyrin that I see." His lips met hers for a long passionate kiss as she let a tear run down her freshly clean cheek.

She breathed deeply when they finally separated. "Wow." Adam was quickly washing his mouth out in the sink. "Hey!"

"Puke breath." He said, and she smacked him playfully. "Come on, put yourself back together and we'll go down to sickbay. We'll talk to the doctor about getting you some help."

"Unh." She blushed, realizing that she was displaying a lot more skin than she normally would.

When they turned to leave both halted, as they noticed a young nurse staring at them, with her jaw wide open. She dashed out without another word. "Uh oh." They both said at the same time.

"We'd better catch her or else we'll have a lot of explaining to do to the Captain." Meyrin spoke.

"Yeah, no kidding." He grabbed her hand. "Let's go!"

"Oh!" Meyrin sat up and looked around. She was still in Adam's room, clutching his hand, which seemed to be clutching back, but she considered that to be her own imagination.

The doctor had his hand on her shoulder. "Ohayo. Sorry to wake you, but he's about due for his brain spike. I'll need you to leave."

"Okay, sorry." She squeezed Adam's hand again. "I'll be back again, lover."

When she was walking in the hall, her head was spinning. "Just what was that back there? That dream… no, that memory. Was it mine, or was it his?" She tried to remember it, and realized that it was in the third person. It wasn't from her eyes, or his. "Adam, was that it?" She looked up and smiled as tears ran down her cheeks. "He'll be back. He told me so himself, in his own way."

The visitors all went home. They had enough for today. Each one had a lot to deal with, and to talk about amongst themselves. Adam was left alone, in the dead of night. Only his vital monitors registered as sound. He was tied up in a chair, tightly bound, being tortured by the sound as he held his head up weakly, determined not to fall asleep under the hypnotic torture of the beeping.

A door squeaked open and his ears registered footsteps that came to halt in front of him. He lifted his head up and tried to peer through the darkness through half-closed eyelids. A bright light came down from overhead, illuminating Kira Yamato, looking at him. "Hey. You look like shit."

"Well at least the opinion is unanimous." Adam let out a small grin. "I thought visiting hours were over."

"Sorry to come this late. Lacus and I had to take care of some really important things. We've been out on errands all day."

"Guess, he can't hear me, just like all the others."

"The truth is, I knew right away that something was wrong, when we first met face to face, but I wasn't completely sure. That's why I tagged along on the trip to the bunker, I wanted to confirm my suspicions. I didn't expect it to have such an adverse effect on you. I didn't think you'd be lying here right now."

"You've got a big definition gap between lying and sitting, but hey, whatever."

"I know what Lacus said is true, but I still feel like shit. I still feel responsible." Kira turned around, putting his hands behind his back as he looked up. "It's like I still think I could have done something, to save all three of you. And I did absolutely nothing, I only defended myself against those three Gundams. What kind of person am I? Abandoning civilians when they need help? I just want to do over that day."

Kira's body disappeared, and in front of Adam's eyes was Freedom's back, as he himself shrank, watching the mobile suit hover over him. His parents gripped him tightly as Calamity turned. They broke into a run, Adam looking behind him as the turquoise mobile suit launched its core cannon at the nuclear powered suit above them. Freedom blocked the impact with its shield but began to lose ground. "LOOK OUT!" Adam cried and his parents looked back and saw the white foot.

"GET OUT OF HERE!" Peter Cancho yelled as he pushed Adam forward with all his strength.

"OTOU-SAN!" He cried as the metal shoe fell hard, sending his mother, father, and a slab of cement sailing to the side of the road, while he himself tumbled backwards.

Freedom took off quickly, as Raider swooped in and fired its vulcans, punching holes through and setting fire to the house Adam's parents had landed under. Adam pushed himself up and raised his head, looking around randomly. "ADAM!" Marissa called, and he looked their way. Both of them were pinned by the cement block that went with them. He began crawling towards them. "NO DON'T!"

The flaming building let out a loud whining creak. His father looked up at the building, and then quickly turned to his son. "ADAM, I'LL LEAVE THE REST TO YOU!"

Adam outstretched his hand as the building gave way, sending flaming debris down, obscuring the two. "Otou-san… Okaa-san… No. You can't. No! NO! NOOOOoo!" His energy left him as his vision went black.

"Aaaahh. He remembered." A female voice spoke.

"This makes things a little problematic." A male voice sighed.

Adam opened his eyes. He was back, tied to the chair, Kira still standing in front of him. "I guess in the end it really is my fault. I'm sorry, Adam." He said.

"No, Kira it's not your fault." Adam said. "Kira, listen to me!" He struggled against his bonds.

"Uh-uh-uh." He felt a hand wrap around one of his tied wrists. "You're not going to run away from us are you?" A woman appeared at his side.

"After all, we just got you back again." Another hand, and this time a man showed up at his other side.

"Mom? Dad? No, you're not them. You're not real. Let me go!"

"Not real? Whatever do you mean? We're as real as you want us to be."

"We're made from your memories. We're the perfect vision of your parents, brought to you courtesy of your own brain."

"Let me go! I have to tell Kira. It wasn't his fault! He didn't kill you! He had no control!"

"Oh let him go think that." His mother giggled. "Because of what happened we were given life."

"So we can be with you forever." His father smiled as he pulled in close to the boy's ear. "Isn't that what you wanted? Companionship? Friendship? Not to be alone?"

"We just got you back, dear son. We can't just let you go off again, you know." His mother kissed him on the cheek. "Now we can be together for eternity, just like you wanted."

Adam slumped down. "You're right, that is what I wanted. I wanted my mother and father back. I wanted to be loved, held, consoled, and even yelled at sometimes. I wanted to be with you both forever, but not like this! Not at the expense of the others, not at the sacrifice of the people that I hold dear!" He redoubled his efforts to move.

"You can't go, you know that." Marissa whispered in his ear.

"We've got you now, and we'll never release you again." Peter nodded as he tightened his grip.

"NO! I'm not the same boy that created you anymore. I've gotten stronger, wiser, I've even fallen in love. My real parents would never stop me from being with my friends, never! YOU… WON'T… HOLD… ME!"

A brown football slid in front of his vision and shattered into an array of billions of colors. Kira stood up and began to move towards the door when a hand shot out from the bed and gripped his wrist tightly. The violet-eyed Coordinator turned around in shock. Adam stared at him with berserker eyes. "A…Adam? Are you…?" The boy shook his head back and forth as he stared at the older teen in desperation. "Adam, what is it? What do you need?" The boy tried to speak, but the airway was blocking his speech. The orange-haired teen released Kira's hand and both went to the pipe in his mouth, attempting to pull it out. "No, Adam don't! You'll only hurt yourself! STOP!"

"What's going on in here?" The doctor opened the door. "Who the hell are you? And… oh my God!" He slammed his hand on the emergency button near Adam's bed. "Trauma nurses and security to room eight! On the double!" The requested people ran through the door. "Hold him! Put him under quickly! Security, get him out of here!"

"Put him under?" Kira repeated, as two large men grabbed him. "No! You can't! Listen to me, he's conscious! Don't put him under, he's conscious! Don't sedate him! Don't do it!" Kira yelled as he struggled against the burly brutes.

Adam floated above the orange-haired boy as he dragged himself into the bunker, dressed his wounds, and collapsed into a cot. He was there when he woke the next day. He drifted along as the young boy moved as much of the wreckage as he could from the burnt corpses. He trailed behind as he dragged the bodies down to the bunker, rearranging them to look more human. He observed as the coffins were built around them, when the boy took a pick axe to the wall, dragging out the gravestones, carving them into crosses. The entire time, he was conversing, eating, and laughing with people that were not there. A part of his mind knew his duty, to bury his parents, but the other part made him not take notice, his mental replacements of them already preoccupying his brain.

Adam sat down next to the boy, and stared at him, seeing his own face. "So that's how it is…." The older one said before he flew up through the rock, into the open air, as day turned into night.

"You know we're still here." Marissa spoke.

"We were created from you, we'll never disappear." Peter also added.

"Ah." Adam closed his eyes as his parents appeared over his shoulder. "And I also know you'll try to take me with you again. Go ahead, but it won't work." He raised his arms and brought to mind the images of his friends. They appeared at his sides, as he opened his eyes. They all turned around at once. "I have them, and with them I'm home."

Adam's eyes snapped open and he tried to sit up, but was pushed back to the bed. "Easy there, boy." The doctor said before he threw away the syringe in the correct disposal unit. "Wait until you fully come out of it."

The brown-eyed boy's vision was fuzzy. "I feel like shit." Stifled chuckles emanated from in front of him. He shook his head to clear out the cobwebs, and when he opened his eyes again, he cracked a joyful smile. Athrun, Cagalli, Shinn, Lunamaria, and Meyrin were all there, in front of him, in various states of relief and happiness. A tear ran down his cheek. "I'm home."

All of them took that as their cue to crowd around him. Meyrin kissed his cheek. "Welcome home."

From the corner of his eye, he saw Kira through the observation window. As he was talked to by what felt like fifteen different people at once, he let the boy outside know he had his attention and shook his head. He mouthed "no" to him quickly before he began to converse with the others. Kira smiled and closed his eyes for a second before he got off the wall he was leaning on and turned to leave.

The day was blue and cold. The wind blew dark-lined clouds from the ocean as the seagulls drifted over the water. Adam leaned down over the small unnamed memorial and let his tears free. It was his first time here, but he felt like he had been here every day of his life. The place was a memorial to those unknown people who had died on this very hill. But to him, this barren, flowerless wasteland meant something much more important. Meyrin laid the flowers she had brought onto the memorial and said a silent prayer.

From the left, another pair of individuals came into view. "Oh…" Shinn spoke quietly, noticing the two there.

Luna said nothing as she reminisced on what her and Shinn's conversation had consisted of. _"So… they don't have a grave?"_

"_Unh… there's just a small blank memorial. But to me it means much more, and it does to Adam too."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_It was the spot where Mayu, Adam, and I made a promise, to always reunite here, and create perfect memories together."_

"_Shinn…."_

"_He might not even realize it. The section ahead of it was blown to smithereens by the war, and the tidal wave when Junius 7 hit washed away the rest. But I somehow think he'll know."_

Meyrin noticed the pair approaching and put a hand on Adam's shoulder, motioning towards their direction. He got up and wiped his tears off his sleeve as they approached. Adam and Meyrin stepped back and let the newcomers take their time. Luna placed her own batch of flowers on the stone and closed her eyes, offering her own prayer. Shinn clenched Mayu's cell so hard the plastic squeaked. Luna placed a hand on Adam's back, and he gave her a solemn nod in return.

Another pair of feet clod forward from behind them. Turning around, they saw Athrun and Cagalli approaching, and they parted the sea for them. As Athrun said a prayer, Cagalli put down her batch of flowers and ran her hand along the smooth surface of the stone. She shook her head solemnly as she stood up, and she looked around. Where once flowers were planted, now was only char. Upright trees were now knocked over and broken. Damaged rails, warped metal, cracked concrete. This was not the way it was supposed to look.

"I never could stand this place, after that day." Shinn spoke, in almost a whisper. "But in the end, I could never forget it. When I came back, it wasn't like this." His brow furrowed and he drew his lips tight. "Not like this…." His words to the stranger at the memorial that day echoed in his mind. _"I guess it means you can't hide a place like this. Even if beautiful flowers blossom, they'll always be blown away for sure!" _ "But with things like this… like this… I've never hated it more!"

"Shinn…" Luna put her hand on his arm.

"This was supposed to be a place of happiness, beauty, friendship. Adam, you already know, don't you? About this place." Shinn's fist clenched.

"Unh. I know." He said as he placed a hand over his eyes.

"Now look at it… where's the peace, the joy, the perfection we so wanted? The memories… we so needed…." Shinn's brow trembled.

"Torii!" A mechanical voice called. Athrun looked around and found the mechanical toy he created, just as it landed on its master's shoulder.

"Uh…." Kira let out a breath as he and Lacus identified the people who were there.

"Kira." Athrun said out loud.

Meyrin was the first to turn, letting out a surprised noise as she noticed Lacus there as well. "Hah…" Was Luna's reaction as she eyed the same person. Shinn, Cagalli, and Adam said nothing as the two continued forward.

Lacus's flowers joined the others as she clasped her hands in prayer. "So you did come…" Kira spoke to Athrun.

"Ah…."

Lacus stepped back from the stone, and Luna's gaze followed her for a moment, until Meyrin's head was in the way. Her younger sister answered her questioning gaze with a reassuring smile. Shinn blinked at Kira as he took his turn, when he finished he realized he was being watched, and turned his head to gaze upon the black-haired boy. "Shinn." Athrun stepped beside him. "This guy is Kira."

"Huh?"

"Kira Yamato, the pilot of Freedom."

Kira's gaze was intense, but it held no malice, only sincerity. Even so, Shinn backed up a step instinctively. "Eh?" Luna was also in the same state of shock.

Adam went next to him and placed his hand on his best friend's shoulder. He nodded to him with a small smile. Shinn's mind was elsewhere, as he remembered what he had done, stabbing Freedom through the torso. Though Kira had not forgotten what happened that day and the days that followed it, no hatred could be found anywhere in his being. He held his hand out. Athrun, Cagalli, and Lacus smiled at the gesture. "Is it no good?" Kira spoke.

With another moment of thought, Shinn shook free of his friend's hand and placed his own into the awaiting recipient's. As if to celebrate that new bond, Torii took off into the sky as a breeze blew through their hair. "A…anno…." Shinn couldn't really say anything. "I… I want…."

"Even if they're blown away, we'll always return to plant the flowers again. Always." It was an answer formulated over months. Shinn's eyes began to water as he realized that this was the stranger he met the first time.

"This is what our fight is all about." Cagalli spoke.

"And the answer to the question I was posed." Athrun added in.

"Come join us in that fight." Kira said with a sincere smile.

Shinn's jaw dropped, completely taken off guard by the offer. A single tear ran down his cheek as he closed his eyes and mouth. "Hai." His other hand joined the two, to show his true sincerity.

"Lunamaria, Adam." Athrun spoke to each of them.

"You don't even have to ask me, Athrun-san. I'm with you." Adam nodded.

"My place is with Shinn." Luna spoke as well. "I'll be with you when you call."

Athrun smiled at their answers, as Meyrin placed her hands on Adam's arm. Cagalli stepped forward, not normally one to keep quiet anyway. "Since you're all here, you should know that I won't let this monument be blank any longer. Along with the reconstruction project, a new stone will be placed here as well."

"A new stone? What will be on it?" Adam asked while the others shot inquisitive looks.

Cagalli and Athrun left speaking to each other side by side, as they took the exit where they entered. Lacus rested her head on Kira's shoulder, as they smiled happily and knowingly, taking their leave from the left. Adam and Shinn's party watched them go, and soon they turned to each other. No words were spoken between them as the men shook hands and the women slipped their arms into the crooks of the ones they loved. They each took opposite directions, with smiles on their faces. They knew that this wasn't goodbye, only until next time. And they would see each other again… it was their Destiny.

Cagalli Yula Athha busied herself with the restoration of ORB and the political relationships between them and PLANT. She has yet to restore her engagement to Athrun Zala.

The Akatsuki was hailed as ORB's banner mobile suit, and runs escort missions between PLANT and ORB.

Athrun Zala resumed his duties as Cagalli Yula Athha's personal bodyguard and therapist. He also trains mobile suit pilots, though he prays they will never have to be sortied.

Infinite Justice waits in an ORB hangar, awaiting to be used. Some patrols say they have seen the Sublight Lifter mobile suit in their airspace, but these are unconfirmed.

Murrue Ramius and Mwu La Flaaga alias Neo Lorranoke disappeared shortly after their return to ORB. It is surmised that their friends know their location, but will not disclose the information.

Shinn Asuka returned to PLANT to undergo further psychiatric counseling. Though he is still a part of the military, he is an inactive member. When asked if he plans to wed Lunamaria Hawke, he stated that he wished to sort out his past before he settles on his future.

Destiny disappeared from the moon's surface and has been assumed scrapped, as there were no documents evident for its recovery. There are some sparse reports that a mobile suit with pink butterfly wings has been spotted in remote regions, but these are unconfirmed.

Lunamaria Hawke returned to PLANT, where she resides with Shinn Asuka, providing emotional support to go along with his psychiatric sessions. She trains mobile suit pilots and is still an active member of the movement to bring more women into the military. When asked, she says she intends to wed Shinn Asuka, but is in no hurry to do so.

Impulse's parts sit in a ZAFT armory, along with a rumored fourth Silhouette. It is unlikely to ever be used though.

Minerva's wreckage was recovered, and its crew scattered around PLANT. It is unknown whether or not she will be rebuilt or scrapped. Rumors of a sister ship are unconfirmed.

Lacus Clyne returned to PLANT and was immediately elected Supreme Chairwoman. In a surprise move, her first day in office, she resigned, after putting forth a proposition for a full restructuring of the government, to prevent another travesty as what happened twice previously. She did not re-run for election for the new council. She and Kira Yamato were wed in a private ceremony and retired to a private residence, where their first child will soon be born.

Eternal sits in a ZAFT hangar, awaiting sortie. The newly promoted Commander DaCosta prays she will never set foot in battle again.

Kira Yamato returned to PLANT to be with Lacus Clyne. They were married in a private ceremony, and will soon be expecting their first child. His profession is not known.

Strike Freedom sits in Eternal's hangar, awaiting sortie. Unconfirmed reports indicate sightings of an eight-winged mobile suit, curiously enough, in the same areas as Destiny sightings have been reported.

Adam Cancho stayed in ORB and began his therapeutic sessions. He is still in the ORB military, though what his position is, is unknown. He has recently become engaged to Meyrin Hawke, no exact date set for the wedding.

Eagle, and the Cone System, reside in an ORB hangar. There are multiple confirmed reports of it and its pilot aiding the reconstruction and building efforts in the Gulnahan region.

Meyrin Hawke continues to live in ORB, by Adam Cancho's side. Originally employed as Cagalli Yula Athha's personal secretary, she recently has become the head space traffic controller for ORB's spaceport. She also spends many days at the orphanage Kira Yamato and Lacus Clyne formerly resided in. When asked about it, she only smiles. She has recently become engaged to Adam, no set date has been announced.

Alan Sheridan returned to his workshop and continues his inventions. ShEZAMS still rejects him as a pilot.

The reconstruction of the memorial was finished. The flowers were just beginning to bud, birds were making nests in the newly planted trees, and people began visiting the moment it opened to the public. On the engraved stone, each person would see:

This stone is placed here to remind us of a story, the story of Asuka and Cancho:

CE 69: Three children from two families swore to reunite on this spot, to reminisce and return to their happiness.

CE 71: The families were torn apart, as one child and the parents of both perished in the onslaught, for whom this memorial was originally for.

CE 73: One child returned to the spot, only to be reminded of the broken promise, as neither his sister, nor his friend, returned.

CE 74: The two remaining children return to this very spot. Those who once found themselves as enemies in war, join together once again, to reminisce with the hopes of creating happiness for others, in the memory of the sister and friend they lost.

These two families needlessly lost everything in the wars they were caught in. Everything, except each other. As they reformed their bonds in this place, in memory of their lost love ones, we ask you to remember this story, the story of old friends, reborn anew.

Author's Note: And so OFA comes to a close. It's been a long and hard journey for all of us, and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. I suppose the next step is to do some minor rewrites or adapt it into a manga form, but I'd need an artist for the latter. Well, I'll see you all next project.

PS: By the way, the book Athrun mentioned does not exist. Don't try looking for it, because you won't find it.


	40. Old Friends Anew BONUS

Shinn grumbled in his sleep as he sensed someone hovering over him. "Adam, go back to bed. It's our day off."

"Day off? What are you talking about, Shinn?" His orange-haired best friend and roommate smiled. "You've slept the entire day. It's already tomorrow."

"EH?" He shot up, and a string tied to his shirt was pulled. A bucket of cold water tilted on its side and dumped its contents on top of the boy.

"Ghhh…" Adam covered his mouth, a huge smile behind his hand.

Shinn spat. "Oh Adam… do you happen to know why I just was soaked?" He sent a glare his way.

"Sorry, not a clue. Towel?" He handed him a fresh white towel.

"You do realize I'll have to get you back for it later, right?" He spat again before rubbing his face and hair down.

"I know, I know. Kghh…" Adam snickered again as Shinn pulled the towel away from his face, his entire head now covered with a fine white powder.

"Well, since I'm already wet, I may as well take my shower." He sighed as he got up, heading towards the bathroom.

"I'll head to the mess hall. I hear they have real lemon meringue pie today." Adam turned to the door and exited.

"Hey, wait a minute…." Shinn turned to the mirror. "ADAM!" He burst out of the bathroom and opened up his quarter door, only to have a pie catapulted into his face, blowing him back to the floor.

The orange-haired boy peeked around the doorframe, quickly taking a picture with his cell phone. "Looks like I was wrong. It was peach. Welcome to April Fools Day, Shinn."

Old Friends Anew: Destiny's True Beginning

Bonus Phase: The Prank Crusades

Lunamaria winced as she slowly woke up. "Mirei?" She sat up and looked around. "Mirei, you up?" She looked to her sister's bed. "Huh… guess she's already gone." She groaned. "Toilet…."

She went to the bathroom and became a queen for a few minutes. Then when she reached for the toilet paper roll…. "Damn it. How many times do I have to tell that girl to replace the roll if she finishes it! I'm just glad I had this emergency roll dispenser installed." She looked at the directions. "Press down on empty roll to release extra." She did so, and a giant black spider landed on her hand.

Meyrin yawned in the hall with a bowl in her hands. "I hate getting up early, especially on my day off."

"GYAAAAAHHHH!!!"

"Oh, looks like she found my little present." She chuckled a little as she secretly slid open a door. She looked in and only heard the peaceful snoring of Arthur Trine. She grinned evilly as she tiptoed into the room, silently rolling a chair over to his bed. After placing the bowl on it, she gently lifted his arm and dipped his hand into the warm water. She quickly slipped out of his quarters and let the door close behind her.

"Uh?" Arthur blinked. "GWAAAHH!"

The pigtailed girl snickered as she left the quarterdeck. "I love April Fools Day."

"You and me both, Meyrin." Adam waved to her as he joined her in the elevator. "Having fun already I take it?"

"Of course. Lumi is probably passed out on the throne right now, and the XO is desperately hunting for a new set of pants. What was your morning like so far?" Adam pulled out his phone and showed her his most recent prank's results. "Pffft!" She sputtered as she saw it. "My God, Adam. You tread on thin ice. He's gonna kill you after that."

"Or try to prank me instead. Well, he can try, but it's not going happen. Never prank a prankster."

"Unh. So, who's next on the list? Maybe Ray?"

"Already taken care of. I just have to wait for the e-mail. What about Athrun?"

Meyrin folded her arms as she closed her eyes and started to brainstorm. "That might be tough. FAITH members aren't appointed for nothing, after all. He rarely lets his guard down. Plus we couldn't do that much without being thrown into the brig for it."

"Ugh, good point. We'll have to brainstorm a bit. What do you say we go after Vino and Youlan. If we're lucky, we might even be able to get the chief too."

"Sounds like a plan." The elevator slowed to a stop and opened to their floor. "Let's get to work." She winked as she stepped out.

Athrun yawned, and rubbed the sand out of his eye as he walked down the hall. He stopped in front of Ray's quarters and rang the bell. "Ray, the Captain's been looking for you. She says you're not answering her calls." No reply came. "I realize it's early in the morning, but could you at least mutter something?" Silence. "Okay…." He looked down at the door status. "Unlocked? I'm coming in, Ray."

The door slid open, and Athrun took one step in, stopping in the doorframe, sweating like a pig. "Uh… uh…." Ray was sprawled across his bed in his undergarments, each of his limbs chained to the corners of his bed with fuzzy pink handcuffs. He looked up at his commanding officer with a helpless look on his face, unable to speak from the underwear stuffed in his mouth. "Um… wow… eheh…" Athrun continued to sweat as his mouth twitched. "Sorry for disturbing you!" He stepped backwards quickly and let the door close in front of him. "I need a pot of the XO's special coffee after that one." He pinched the bridge of his nose as he walked down the hall.

"Morning guys." Adam raised his hand in greeting.

Youlan and Vino stiffened as the couple approached. They turned around slowly, not removing their welding masks. "U afftwod!" Youlan shook his fist.

"Huh?"

"Iii so onna ge ew or ith!" Vino cracked his knuckles.

"I don't get a word. Take off your welding masks."

Youlan took a deep breath and started yelling. "You bastard! You know we can't! Putting glue on our masks!"

"Wait, you mean they're stuck to your face?" Meyrin blinked. They nodded furiously. "Woah!"

"Don't play dumb! You would have had to be in on it too!" Vino snarled.

"Sorry to disappoint you, boys." Adam crossed his arms. "But that wasn't us. Although that's a good one, we weren't planning on that this time. Looks like someone else is on a crusade."

"But who would execute a prank like this so smoothly?" Meyrin flipped her pigtail a few times.

"What are you doing? Quit slacking off!" The chief yelled at a few mechanics over by Red. "You'd better have that balancer Lunamaria complained about repaired before lunch or else you'll be in real trouble! Where's that report on the Phantom's arm?" Unnoticed, an unstable crate on a crane fell loose above him.

"Shit!" Adam dashed for the man. "Chief, lookout!" He pushed him out of the way as the shadow got bigger under him.

"Adam!" His beloved dove for him and knocked him back to the floor.

"Meyrin!" The crate dropped on her back and she spat up blood. "NO!" He crawled to her unmoving form. "Meyrin, no… you can't… you can't go!" He screamed in anguish.

The entire bay went quiet. He continued to sob, holding her limp hand in his. "Adam, I…." The chief approached him.

"SHUT UP!" He turned to him in a rage. "Who did it? Who was the one operating that crane? What kind of shitty place is this that this had to happen? Who's the bastard who killed my Meyrin?!"

"Well, that would be me." The girl spoke, yawning. "That was a good nap." She stood up and lifted the huge crate with one hand and a remote control with the other. "Nice acting, Adam. For a second there I thought I was really dead, from your reaction."

"I almost believed it myself." Adam rubbed his eyes free of the tears he forced out and stood up. Everyone in the hangar gripped their hearts in relief. "Everyone, you've just been pranked by the Prankster Prince and Princess. Have a fun rest of the day."

"Oh and you can have this back." Meyrin tossed the remote to her weldingmasked friends before walking off.

"Do you think we overdid that one, Meyrin?"

"Nah, we needed it big to get everyone in there. I'd say it worked. Who's next?"

"Hmm… dunno. Let's get something to eat and think up stuff there."

"Kuso, I am SO going to get him for this." Shinn fumed as he stomped the deck, finally clean from his experience with peach pie. He punched the open button on another person's quarters. "Ray, I need your help with a…. EH?!" He jolted as he saw the blonde's situation. "Damn it, he got you too? Hang on, Ray, I'll get you out of there." He climbed on top of and straddled the boy as he removed his gag and started fiddling with the cuffs.

"Thank you." Ray said after he took a fresh breath. "I was worried I'd be stuck like this forever."

"It was Adam, wasn't it?"

"As if it could be anyone else?"

In the mess hall, Adam's phone buzzed. With a knowing smile he flipped it open and checked his e-mail. "Khhhh! Hahaha!" He broke out laughing.

"What? What is it?" Meyrin looked over his shoulder. "Pffft!" On the screen was a still image of Shinn straddling the bound Ray. "That was your trap? Oh man, two for one!"

"Not over yet, my dear." He started punching buttons. "A quick shipwide e-mail, and…."

Ray's computer monitor turned on, and both boys turned towards it in surprise. Shinn's hair bristled as he saw the picture Adam sent. "I am going to KILL him!" He hopped off the bed and ran out of the room in search of his prey.

"Oi, Shinn! Oi!" Ray still struggled against his bonds. "At least get me out of here first! Oi!" The door slid shut without getting a response. "Tch."

Meyrin suppressed a giggle. "You're cruel."

"So who do you want to hit next? The bridge crew?"

"They're on duty, I think, so we'd…."

"MEYRIN HAWKE!" A female voice boomed throughout the mess hall as Lunamaria tromped up to them.

"Oh, Lumi. Did I manage to scare it out of you enough?" She stuck her tongue out.

"Shut it! How could you do this to me, Meyrin? You went too far!"

"What? It was just a rubber spider."

"I'm not talking about that!"

"Then what? You've got me totally confused."

Luna looked around at the multiple pairs of eyes staring at them. "Not here. Let's go to the lounge." She picked up her sister's arm and began dragging her, with Adam following behind.

Just as the door closed behind them, the opposite side opened up. "ADAM CANCHO!" Shinn panted in rage. A few cat calls reached his ears from those that saw the image. "Tch!"

Luna tossed her sister onto the sofa roughly, as Adam quickly closed the door. "You've got a lot of explaining to do, Meyrin." She put her hands on her hips and stared at her through the narrowed slits of her eyelids.

"Like I said, it was only a rubber spider! Why are you making a big deal out of this?"

"I'm not talking about that bathroom prank! I'm talking about this!" She pulled out a printed picture and held it in front of her.

Meyrin blinked at it as Adam leaned forward and squinted. "It's an ultrasound. So what, Lunamaria?"

"Look at the name on it." She hissed.

"Hawke, Lunama…. Are you pregnant Onee-chan?!" Meyrin almost screeched.

"OF COURSE NOT!" Luna's chest heaved after this outburst. "I'm still a virgin, remember? I found this on the Minerva's intranet this morning when I was checking my schedule. Half the crew has seen it by now!"

"Damn…." Adam winced.

"Honestly, why'd you do it? This one really hurt me, Mirei!"

"Onee-chan… I didn't do it, honestly! The spider one was as far as I wanted to go!"

"Then it must've been you, Adam!" She pointed an accusing finger.

"Woah! Hold on, Luna! I don't have administrative access to the Intranet in the first place!" He put up his hands in defense. "Besides, I'd never do something like that! Especially after that talk we had a few weeks ago! I already know how you feel about things like that."

"Then who did it, huh? You're the only two who would manage to pull something like this off!"

Adam stopped and thought for a second. "Meyrin, do you think…."

"Oh!" Her train of thought joined his. "That could be…. Even so though…."

"What the hell are you two mumbling about?" Luna was still as irate as ever.

"There's someone else other than us pranking people today, Luna." Adam looked up.

"Whoever it was glued Vino and Youlan's welding masks to their faces. Which seems a bit much to me. Glue is hard to get off."

"And if he or she pulled this prank on you, then that means that this person doesn't have the same morality as we do. He or she is a danger to everyone on this ship. We need to find this person, and fast." Adam balled a fist.

"Lumi, let's head back to your terminal. Maybe if I can get in, I can track who's doing this." Meyrin stood up. "I swear, as your only sister I won't let this go untouched."

"U…unh. Okay, I'll believe you for now. But if I find you two are lying to me, I'll make sure neither of you are able to have kids." Luna nodded before heading out with the rest of the group.

A few minutes later…. "ADAM CANCHO!" Shinn rushed into the lounge. "Kuso! He's not here either!"

"Ray!" Talia Gladys pressed the intercom button on his doorframe. "I've been trying to get a hold of you for the last three hours. What have you been doing?" When she got no reply she grumbled. "I'm coming in." When the door slid open, she saw the sight that shocked two crewmembers already, and she was no different. "Ray!" She rushed over to him, diving for the cuffs.

"No, stop it, Captain! It's a trap!"

"Like I care! You haven't gotten a chance to take your medicine, right? I've got to get you out of here quickly!"

"Captain!"

Meyrin sighed as she flopped back in the desk chair. "No dice. Whoever that is, they're good. The access log has been wiped clean."

"But don't we have a triplicate backup system?" Luna scratched her head. "Any unauthorized changes should have been rewritten."

"Yeah we do have a triplicate system, so that leaves one of three possibilities." Adam put his elbows on his legs and leaned forward on Meyrin's bed. "1. The backups were down when it was put up. 2. The file was placed IN the backup and was then written in with the next check. Or 3. The change was authorized."

"But not even I can crack that security." Meyrin sighed. "Whoever we're dealing with, they've got good sources."

Adam's phone buzzed again. "Huh? Another one?" He pulled it out and accessed his mail. He blinked at it, but didn't laugh. "Oh, I'm in trouble." He showed the picture of Gladys and Ray to the two girls in the room.

Luna suppressed a chuckle. "Can I have your knives after you die, Adam?"

"Onee-chan!"

Adam sighed. "She's probably right. I'm not going to send this one." He snapped it shut. "It's not worth it."

The blue-haired FAITH officer walked to Shinn and Adam's room and reached for the doorbell. The door slid open. "I'VE GOT YOU NOW ADAM!" Shinn cried as he rushed out, with a pie in his hand.

"Gwah!" Athrun stepped to the side and hit the boy square in the back of the neck. He fell to the floor, landing face first in his pie. "What is with everyone today?" He shrugged as he continued walking, as the door kept opening and closing on Shinn's leg.

Ray threw the cuffs across the room and rubbed his wrists as the Captain unlocked his last foot. "Thank you, Captain. Although I fear what may happen. As you can see on my screen this has happened to Shinn once before today. I must admit, Adam's prank worked well."

"So it was Cancho who did it? Well then we don't have much to worry about. Adam isn't so dumb as to do that to the captain of his ship." The screen beeped, and a still image of the two of them came up on screen. "Then again…."

"My… that one is more compromising than the last one."

Talia slammed her finger on the shipwide intercom button. "Adam Cancho and Meyrin Hawke, report to my ready room immediately!"

"Huh?" Adam looked up into the speaker. "Weird, she sounds really mad." His phone beeped. "More mail?" He opened it and turned white. "Wh…wh… what the hell?"

"It's over here too!" Meyrin gasped as the picture appeared on the screen. "It's all over the ship!"

"Adam! What did you do?!" Luna yelled at him.

Meyrin and Adam sweat bullets as they stood at attention, the captain pacing in front of them, shooting furious looks at them. "I thought you two were smart. And then you pull something like THIS! All I want to know is why? What was going through your heads when you decided to pull this on your own captain? Cancho, answer!"

"Ma'am!" He stiffened even straighter, if possible. "It is true that I had set up the prank to get Ray, and I considered it complete once Shinn had also fallen for the trap! I did not consider the possibility that you would get involved, Ma'am!"

"You didn't think that I might get caught in the same trap?"

"Ma'am! No, Ma'am!"

"And so when your hidden camera took that picture it automatically was sent throughout the ship. I see now."

"Ma'am! That's not correct, Ma'am!" Meyrin spoke, quickly. "All e-mails were sent to Adam's cell phone for confirmation first! I speak as a witness to that fact!"

"So then you deliberately sent that message, Adam? You're more of an imbecile than I realized."

"Ma'am. No, Ma'am! Though I had received the message, I deleted it without sending it anywhere." He pulled out his cell. "If you wish, check the sent message record."

"Ma'am! I will also back up Adam's claim, Ma'am!"

Talia squinted as she checked through his lists. "These records can be easily deleted, Adam. Do you have any other proof that you didn't send it?"

"Ma'am! Lunamaria was also a witness to that fact, Ma'am!"

"That's hardly proof. Okay, let's try it this way. If you didn't send it, then how did it get all over the ship?"

"Ma'am! I do not know, Ma'am!"

Meyrin's eyes burst open as a light went on in her head. "Adam, how did that camera send you the photos? Was it wireless, or was it connected to the ship?"

"It was connected to the shi…AAAHHH! The Intranet!"

"That must be it!"

"What the devil are you two talking about? Explain, now!" Gladys slammed her hand on her desk.

"Ma'am, someone else has been pulling pranks other than us. They've already hit Youlan, Vino, and Lunamaria. Whoever it is can access high security clearances of the Intranet, including the backups. He or she would have no problem forwarding the message to another e-mail as well!"

"So you're saying that it's from this mystery person, and this mystery person is on this ship?" Talia continued glaring at them. "That's quite a tale. A bit hard to believe though. I'm afraid I'm going to have to detain you two until…."

Suddenly some strange music played over the intercom. "Oh, Adam! Yes…!"

"What the…." Meyrin looked up.

"Ungh! God, Meyrin!"

"Hey, that's my…." Adam was stunned.

More moans and groans came from the intercom as the weird music continued to play. "Adam, Meyrin… can you explain this?" Talia squinted.

"That's not us, Captain! I swear!" Meyrin started to turn red in panic. "After that talk you gave us there's no way I'd risk that! I'm still a virgin!"

"Same here, same here!" Adam nodded furiously. "Someone must have fabricated our voices and put it up. Captain, are you satisfied now? Someone just got US too!"

"Not quite." She punched her comm. button. "Bridge, this is the Captain. Cut off that transmission, now!"

Burt answered. "I've been trying Captain, but it's not working. It's being managed from the Intranet!"

"There's your proof Captain!" Meyrin yelled over the ever increasing cacophony.

She nodded and pressed her fingers on the ID scanner. "Captain Talia Gladys, command line override protocol, Zulu November Omega Sigma. Cut all internal audio communications." The room, and the ship, became quiet. She sighed. "Okay, so you've been cleared. But now who would do this? It's obviously someone on the ship, and either has high level clearance or is using the passwords from a person with high level clearance, so that would mean…."

A text message beeped on her screen from Malik, the pilot. "Emergency! The bridge shield is going crazy!"

Ray pressed a button and stepped into the room. "Shinn, I…."

"Moratta!" The black haired boy pulled back on a string and three seltzer bottles placed strategically around the entrance fired, soaking the pilot head to toe.

Ray scowled as he pushed his hair out of his eyes. "Are you happy now?" He went forward with his fist balled.

"Oh crap!"

When Adam, Meyrin and Talia made it to the bridge, things were in chaos. The bridge shield and the primary bridge kept going up and down at random, shaking everyone on the platform up. "Damn it, he's even gotten into the safety systems! Meyrin!"

The girl's pigtails fluttered in the air as she jumped down to her moving station. "Initiating emergency bridge shutdown… NOW!" The entire room went dark. "Activating emergency lighting. Everyone switch to manual overrides." Very dim lights illuminated each station.

"This has gone on long enough. We need to find this person, now." Talia bit her thumb.

Adam had been pacing around in his brain the entire time, until his head shot up. "AH!" He punched his open palm.

Meyrin, Adam, and the captain gathered around one door on the quarterdeck. Talia overrode the lock, and the others nodded to her quickly. The door opened and they burst into the room.

"Pffffffffft!" Arthur Trine spit out his syrupy coffee in surprise as they did so. "C…Cancho! What are you doing here?"

The heavy liquid brought down her hair spikes to shoulder level as she opened her eyes in irritation. "Arthur… could I ask you for a towel, please?"

"Make that three." Adam grumbled. "And hurry before this stuff congeals and starts eating us."

"Uh, hai. Just one moment." He brought out three towels from his bathroom. "Sorry about that. You surprised me. Why'd you go and break down my door?"

"We're looking for the serial prankster who has been pulling uncouth pranks all day." Talia spoke as she rung out her hair.

"Ah… I heard about that. Are Malik and Burt okay?"

"They're fine, a bit shaken up, but fine. Have you been out of your room at all today so far?"

"No Ma'am. I've been here all day. It is my day off after all. Why do you ask?"

"We'll get straight to the point." Adam draped his towel over his shoulders and pointed straight at his nose. "The culprit can be none other than you, Arthur Trine!"

"Bwahh?!" He reeled back at the accusation. "How can you say that?"

Adam raised three fingers into the air. "The number of hints are three. First: The glue traps in Youlan and Vino's masks. Second: Access to the Intranet's highest security functions setting off various pranks. Third: The override codes to bridge security. You let your MO change with each prank, but all of it could only be done by you! Only bridge personnel know the override codes to bridge security, which is how Meyrin managed to disable your little trap up there. You were also the only one not present on the bridge at the time."

"Circumstantial evidence!"

"I'm not finished yet!" Adam barked. "To access those systems remotely, someone can get into the Intranet computer controls. Only certain people know the access codes, and not even Meyrin can hack into it. That narrows it down to you and the Captain. You also have not been pranked by this mystery prankster, while she has. Third, someone placed the glue traps inside the welding masks unnoticed. As there was no forced entry in the room, it was obviously someone that was well known and trusted in the staff. That person is you!"

"That's ridiculous! Where's the proof?"

"Adam, he's right! I pranked him this morning, and he was sound asleep. He couldn't have had time to plant those traps."

"Couldn't he, Meyrin? Or did you forget what he just spat on us?" Adam smiled as her eyes widened. "Double-caffinated coffee, Trine special. That stuff could wake the dead and make them do cartwheels for hours. During the middle of the night, when the security was lax, he went out and set the traps in the welding masks. When he returned he placed a time delay on all the traps in the computer using his access codes and hid his tracks before he went to sleep. Then when he saw my trick on Ray and Shinn, he hacked into my camera and sent a copy to himself, and then sent it shipwide."

"You're just spitting off stuff that doesn't make sense."

"Is that so, Arthur?" Talia spoke. "How did you know that Malik and Burt were caught in that bridge trap? All audio communication had been cut off at that point!"

"I… well… um…. You see…."

"And if you're defending yourself so much right now, I'm betting you got so complacent that you didn't delete the access records on your own terminal! When Meyrin checks through your system and rebuilds the files, then the proof will be revealed! Your pranking spree is over, Arthur Trine!" Adam pointed at him again.

"Sonna!" He slumped to the floor. "Well done. I didn't think you'd be able to figure it out."

"So you admit it, Arthur?" Talia raised her eyebrows in surprise. "I don't understand. Why'd you do it? You of all people!"

"Everyone treats me like a joke character, getting laughs at my expense. Just once, I wanted my revenge! For once, I wanted to laugh at others for the sheer hell of it! And I laughed, hard! It was worth every second! Do with me what you will, but I feel complete! BWAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!"

"Well… that settles that…." Adam folded his arms as he spoke above the guffawing second in command.

"But what are we going to do with him?" Meyrin placed her finger to her cheek as she thought.

"I think I have an idea." The captain smiled.

"BWAHAHAHAAAAAA!"

"BWAHAHAHAAAA!" Arthur laughed hard with his eyes closed. He never opened them until he heard the loud clang in front of him. "Eh… auda?"

Adam clapped his hands together to wipe off the dirt. "That aught to hold you." He spoke from the other side of a metal barred door.

"Once we get to the nearest base, we'll report on your misconduct to the Council. And your punishment will be decided then." Talia folded her arms.

"Ehhhh? No way! Cancho, you can't be serious!"

"Of course I'm serious!" Adam and Gladys yelled at him at once. They turned towards each other and shrugged, before walking out of the brig.

"Oi! Cancho! Cancho!" Arthur stretched his arm out of the bars as he watched the large doors close.

On the other side, Meyrin waited for the other two. "You're not really going to turn him in, are you?"

"Of course not, Meyrin." The captain patted her on the shoulder. "Arthur may be prone to bouts of stupidity, but he's still a valuable officer. This will just have him rethink trying anything like that again. Speaking of which, I have to go into the computers and override what Arthur's done. Sorry for dragging you two into this on your day off."

"Not at all, Captain. It was fun." Meyrin smiled.

"We've got to get going to, anyway. Our next victim is waiting." Adam put his hands behind his head.

The authoritative woman chuckled before straightening her hat. "Just don't do anything to put you in there with him. See you on duty tomorrow."

"Hai." The teens saluted as she walked off.

Adam yawned as the door to his shared room with Shinn opened. "Damn, I need a shower." As he began to step in he saw something long and thin shimmer in his path. He returned his foot to its original position slowly. Leaning down to floor level he stared at the object, a piece of clear fishing line. He examined the room from his position.

Though looking the same, it felt slightly smaller than normal, and a soft, sweet smell wafted into his nose. The doorframe also seemed thicker. He smiled with an evil grin as he carefully stepped over the tripwire, and a second hidden in the shadows. Adam hummed like nothing was wrong as he went to his drawer, pulling out one of his spring loaded collapsible hunting knives. "Oh yeah, I forgot!" He quickly opened it at an angle and planted it over the first wire in the corner of the door. "I need to ask Meyrin what to get for Lunamaria's baby shower. I should do that before I forget it again." He quickly left, letting the door open and close on his knife, it moving a little each time.

The door of the bathroom fell forward with the scenery, and Shinn stepped on top of the oversized photo, his black eye throbbing painfully. "What happened? That should have worked for sure." He went forward, noticing the door. "Why's it keep doing that?" As he made it to the entryway, past his trap, the knife fell forward with a snap, shutting it on the wire. "Shimatta…."

The paneling around the entryway fell forward, as seven seltzer bottles hidden in the alcove let loose their pressurized contents. "KYAAAHHHH!" Shinn screamed as he became drenched by his own prank. Once the sticky and fizzy shower was over, he stumbled forward, stepping on the second line. "Kuso!"

Two more giant photos of the room fell forward, next to where Shinn first emerged, revealing two rigged contraptions with twenty boston cream pies. "DAMN YOU ADAM!" He yelled as they launched, arching a perfect trajectory for the boy.

Adam sighed as he heard the heavy splats, leaning on the wall outside of the door. "Shinn, you poor poor sap." He shook his head as he walked to the mess hall, considering a prank on the cooks in revenge for their disgusting food. "When will you ever learn that you can't prank a prankster?"

"I wonder about that." Ray spoke in his ear from a far closer than comfortable range.

"Guh!" Adam stiffened up, slowly turning his eyes, and then his head, and finally his body, towards the blonde.

"You can relax. I'm not here to get you back." Ray spoke with an unblinking gaze.

"You're not pissed at me?" The citrus-haired teen sweatdropped, still nervous.

"Oh no, I'm plenty pissed at you. But considering what time of year it is, I can only offer congratulations for a flawlessly executed trick. Chaining me to the bed in my sleep was something I would never have thought possible. You have helped me identify one of my weaknesses, and I thank you for that." As Ray said this, Adam let out a heavy sigh. "Well then, I must speak with the Captain. Farewell."

As he walked away, Adam looked puzzled. "Well that was different. I thought for sure he'd do something to get me back." He scratched an itch on his back, and bumped up against something metal. "Eh?" The package detonated, covering his midsection with a gray and white foam that instantly hardened around him, sending him to the floor. "Wh… wha? What the hell?! What is this?"

"Police Restraining Foam. I picked up a canister of it from the armory." Ray leaned against the closest doorframe. "See ya."

"Oi! Oi! Are you just gonna leave me like this? Oi!" Adam started thrashing, unable to break free of his confines.

Ray opened the door to his quarters and quickly walked around, picking up the cuffs, and throwing them in the nearest trash can. He also went and deleted the pictures sent to his machine. "What a day." He fell back onto his bed in relief. A strange slow metallic creak emanated from it. "Uh?" He blinked as he repositioned himself in the middle. The metal creak snapped, and both sides of his bed closed up on him like a bear trap. "…" He stretched his hand out between the jaws and using all four of his limbs, stretched it apart, lifting him up a few feet. "The bastard did it again."

A seltzer bottle lowered from a hidden panel in the ceiling, with a picture of Adam and Meyrin attached to it. "Well met, you two." He said just before he got the entire contents in the face, sending him falling backwards into the bed trap again. As he attempted to stretch his arm out to slide himself out from the middle, his hand landed on an Oppai Ball, with a sticker attached to it, which read "Thinking of You".

Athrun slid open a door deep in the depths of the ship. The engineer on duty was instantly knocked out by his tazer as he ran up to another and slammed his hand onto his neck.

"This will take care of it all. For ORB, this ship is a danger to existence. Then I will do this to protect it!" He cranked the dial to far past its normal safeties, typing a program to create a feedback loop, preparing to overload the engines. "Remember what I did here today, Cagalli. For ORB's sake! Let our lion continue to roar!"

He pressed a button and a loud fart echoed throughout the ship. Athrun turned around and put his hands in his pockets. He blinked for a second. "What, you didn't really think I'd blow up the ship, did you? April Fools."

SPECIAL EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT:

"Hey everyone, I'm Adam Cancho. The author of this amazingly successful fanfic and I have decided to open up voting for the Inaugural Best Scene Awards. The way it works is in the review section, choose a chapter and scene that you would like to see get the award in one of the following topics:

Best Action; Best Drama; Best Romance; Best Comedy; Best Overall Chapter

"This is a completely fan-based vote, so participation is needed. Everyone, even anonymous readers can vote, so please leave a review with your choices. The entire cast will return to reveal who is the winner of each category, and reveal some of their own favorite moments.

"I don't know about you, but I'm excited. Let's make this a huge success so redemption2 can make an even better rewrite of the future Gundam Seed Eternity! Adam Cancho, Eagle, aim for the stars!"


End file.
